Weeks after the demise of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithyaa, the ruling party today adopted a resolution to work under the leadership of the former CM's close conifdante and aide Sasikala Natarajan.
The resolution was adopted during the AIADMK’s general council meet here. The meeting, which started at 9.30am at the Srivaru Kalyana Mandapam in Chennai, first paid tribute to late party leader Jayalalithaa, who died of cardiac arrest on December 5.
Party treasurer and Chief Minister O Panneerselvam said, "In tune with party rules, honourable Chinnamma is appointed AIADMK General Secretary and a resolution to this effect has been adopted unanimously by the general council."
Speaking to reporters flanked by senior leaders Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai and State Minister Edappadi Palanisamy, he said they were going to meet "Chinamma" to "apprise her of the party decision and to seek her concurrence," for the party decision.
Significantly, the resolution that was adopted says: "This general council adopts this resolution appointing Chinnamma VK Sasikala as the party general secretary till such time she is (formally) elected to that post in tune with party rule 20, clause 2."
Hailing Sasikala's contribution to the growth of the party, the resolution also says it "unanimously gives her all the powers bestowed on the position of general secretary (by the party rules) to administer the party."
The resolution was moved by party presidium chairman E Madusudanan and Chief Minister O Panneersevlam and Edapadi Palanisamy.
The resolution makes it clear that Sasikala will be formally elected as party General Secretary at a later date in keeping with the stipulations of the party constitution.
Till such time she is elected, the party has appointed her to the post giving her all powers of that post.
In the general council meeting held in December last year, late J Jayalalithaa had participated wherein she was authorised to take poll related decisions for the 2016 Assembly polls.
In June this year, the executive committee meeting was the last party meet that Jayalalithaa had attended.
We saw MGR in the form of Jayalalithaa. We will see Jayalalithaa in the form of Sasikala says AIADMK general council resolution...
A total of 14 resolutions were adopted in the general council meet. Resolutions to confer Jayalalithaa with Magsaysay Award and Nobel Prize for World Peace were also passed in the general body meet.
The meeting comes in the backdrop of yesterday’s clash between AIADMK cadres and husband and lawyers of suspended Rajya Sabha Sasikala Pushpa. The incident took place outside the party headquarters when Pushpa’s husband and lawyers arrived here to submit a letter.
Pushpa told reporters that she was suspended and not terminated from the party, therefore, she should be allowed to be a part of the meeting.
Sasikala had recently filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court urging it to order a CBI probe into the death of Jayalalithaa.
