AIADMK cadre want Sasikala to take poll route for Chief Minister post

Even as they push for the unity of the party, there is also confusion to some level over the next general secretary’s and the chief minister’s post. But, there is only a thin percentage of support to the dual power centre to ensure the smooth functioning of the party and the government machinery. 

While 90 per cent of the cadre are okay with Sasikala taking over as the next general secretary of the party, they don’t fully vouch the close aide of former CM J Jayalalithaa taking the reins of the government through a ‘short cut’. 

A long time functionary of the party from rural Madurai says that even party founder MGR sat on the CM saddle only after winning the people’s mandate. So has been the case with late chief minister Jayalalithaa, who also faced a revolt from within the party after the demise of M G Ramachandran.  After Jayalalithaa helped her faction win more seats than the rival group in 1989, the detractors accepted her leadership and the ‘J’ factions merged to come under the single banner of AIADMK. 

Subsequently, the party recorded a landslide victory in the 1991 polls. “As such, the AIADMK is the one and only party that is favoured by the people. This has been proved during the period of both MGR and Jayalalithaa. Both of them had people’s support and that is history. But, there is no mass leader now. So, whoever wants to get to the top echelons of the party should go through the democratic test and take control of both the party and the government. 

Till then, the present arrangement can only augur well for the party and the state administration,” say most functionaries at different levels of the party. With a majority wanting Sasikala to prove herself at the hustings, a few regions like border areas of Madurai and Theni want to see a new face at the helm. The scene in delta districts too is nearly the same.  Though it is not outright full support to OPS in rural Madurai and Theni for the party chief post, they want him to continue as the CM. 

Selvam, a party cadre from Theni, said “Panneerselvam was the preferred choice of Jayalalithaa three times. So, it goes without saying that Amma wanted him to be her successor.” But, another district level office-bearer said that respecting his long stint, OPS should alone lead the party and the government. 

“Sasikala might have stayed with Jayalalithaa for decades, but that alone can’t be a criterion to become the party supremo. Then, Karunanidhi’s PA, who is seen by his side always, can also fight for the DMK chief’s post against MK Stalin,” is his argument. Similar questions are doing the rounds in delta districts. A number of banners extending support and inviting Deepa, Jayalalithaa’s niece, to lead the party is visible in places like Karur, Tiruchy, Ariyalur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam in recent days. 

“This is the real mindset of the devoted cadre and we cannot imagine anyone else in the place of Amma. And Deepa is the heir of Jayalalithaa,” says M Rengaraj, secretary of Srirangam unit of Anna trade union, who has put up posters in favour of Deepa. 

As far as the Western districts, an AIADMK citadel, are concerned, though the mood appears to be in favour of Mannargudi Madam, protests have come out only at a feeble level in very few places. With just a day left for the general council meeting, the anti-Sasikala camp is fully confident that the general council meeting will see objection to Sasikala and then the whole scene will change in the party. On the other side, the pro-Sasikala camp says that everything has been done and only the announcement of her appointment is left.

Though Sasikala enjoys the support of a majority of the party men for the general secretary’s post, she is still playing her cards close to her chest despite appeals from leaders and functionaries. However, the mystery will be resolved at the general council meeting scheduled on December 29 where Sasikala is expected to make her decision known.

In a bid to keep VK Sasikala’s detractors at bay from the General Council meeting scheduled on December 29, the AIADMK has kept the meeting venue a guarded secret from the functionaries.  

The party district secretaries have been tasked to ensure that nobody who opposes the late CM J Jayalalithaa’s aide are allowed to enter the meeting hall, said informed sources in the party. Though the Srivaru Venketachalapathy Kalayana Mandapam, a marriage hall at Vanagaram in the city suburbs, has been fixed for the general council meeting, sources said, “another venue has been fixed, but no address has been revealed. The invitations which district secretaries are to hand over to general council members has only the date and time but not the venue,” he added. 

“Invitations are to be extended only to those who support ‘Chinnamma’ and opponents are to be shown the door before they reach the meeting ven-ue whose location will be known only a day earlier,” the sources revealed. A former MLA said “Sasikala will not be present as the meeting is to decide her future in the party.” But the meeting is expected to be very short given that its only mandate is to ensure Sasikala’s ascension to the top party post. 

However, sources in Poes Garden said “madam is not likely to take a decision soon as posters with her pictures were defaced repeatedly. Also, the demand for Jayalalithaa’s niece Deepa to take over the party’s reins is slowly becoming stronger.” Meanwhile, a DMK source seeking anonymity claimed, “Some AIADMK leaders have already sent out feelers on their future prospects if they do join the DMK. We will wait and watch.”