As former Tamil Naidu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s close associate Sasikala Natarajan started commanding enormous influence on the affairs of the state government and the party since Jayalalithaa’s demise, indicating that Chinnamma is making bold move to become the new Amma in AIADMK. Making her intentions clear, already posters started appearing at party headquarter with her big pictures, pushing Jayalalithaa’s photos to a remote besides MGR’s photo.
Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, who has convened the first Cabinet meeting of his Council of Ministers this morning and some of his colleagues were seen trooping into Veda Nilayam, the residence of Jayalalithaa during last two days following summons by Sasikala. The top cops in the city were also seen visiting her, from where Jayalalithaa held court since she took over the party in 1989.The official circles are rumbling stating it seems the Secretariat itself has been shifted to Veda Nilayam.
Interestingly she was also present yesterday when chief minister, senior ministers and senior officials visited Marina to inspect the proposed site for Jayalalithaa’s memorial, indicating her growing influence.
It seems presently Sasikala making the party leadership to move swiftly to elect her as the new general secretary of the party. However, already several dissent voices are coming silently from party circles against this move.
He pointed out that while Jayalalithaa was in command, she could balance the caste, community and regional equilibrium with elan and poise. As both Chief Minister and she belongs to influential Thevar community, which wield enormous power in the AIADMK, a senior party leader deplored that how is it possible to have the same community people in two important positions in a State where the caste equations are so sensitive?