From aide to 'Chinnamma'

Back in 1973, when VK Sasikala, a native of Tiruthuraipoondi, 330 km from Chennai in Tiruvarur district was married to M Natarajan, she would never have dreamt that a day would come when various ministers including the Chief Minister of a progressive state would ‘beg’ her to take over the reins of one of the most successful Dravidian parties. 

Sasikala was introduced to Jayalalithaa by the then Cuddalore collector Chandralekha when the former asked her about her video movie collection. Though this initially brought Chandralekha and Jayalalithaa together, the friendship that blossomed between Sasikala and Jayalalithaa was to span more than 33 years. Over the next few years, the friendship strengthened. Sasi had by then moved to Chennai’s Mylapore and started a video library. Jayalalithaa was still only a AIADMK functionary. 

Sasikala’s first chance to prove her skills came when she was instrumental in merging “Namathu Kazhagam” a break away party founded by the then MGR supporters SD Somasundaram and Azhagu Thirunavukarasu who were peeved with some of the decisions taken by MGR. The merger with AIADMK at Mannargudi brought Sasikala closer to Jayalalithaa, who started to rely more and more on Sasikala. Soon Sasikala moved to Veda Nilayam in Poes Garden, and from then on there was no turning back. An expert in back room manoeuvring, she soon became the real power behind the throne. With Jayalalithaa asking party men to approach Sasikala on various official and party related issues, Sasi’s position only strengthened in the party. She maintained a low profile except during the marriage of Jayalalithaa’s foster son VN Sudhakaran when Jayalalithaa and Sasikala’s opulence soon landed the two in legal trouble. Sasikala was twice thrown out of Poes Garden in 1996 and 2011. The latter period saw Jayalalithaa even ordering party men not to have any truck with the Sasikala group. But, some months later, Sasikala back in Poes Garden after she disowned her family for their various foibles. 

Sasikala’s hold over the party was seen during Jayalalithaa’s funeral at Rajaji Hall. It was similar to the position taken by Jayalalithaa during MGR’s death in 1987. She also performed the last rites, despite allegations that it was wrong for a person from the Mukkulathor community to perform the last rites of a Brahmin. 

Sasikala staying away from public gaze and not uttering a single word despite continued entreaties of party men to take over the general secretary’s post reflects her patience in knowing when and how to call the shots. Whether she will stop with the party’s top post or aim for the ultimate — the Chief Minister’s seat remains to be seen.

As AIADMK functions go, the General Council (GC) held on Thursday was a low key, unostentatious affair. 

The stretch of Poonamallee High Road from Arumbakkam to the venue at Vanagaram had only moderate-sized flex boards of Jayalalithaa, all stating that the GC was being held under the blessings of Jayalalithaa, put up by rural industries minister and Maduravoyal area AIADMK secretary P Benjamin. Only a few posters contained the photograph of Sasikala or mentioned that she was a heir to Jayalalithaa.

As one turned towards the Srivaru Venkatachalapathy marriage hall, a huge LCD board played songs on Jaya and screened clippings of scenes from Jayalalithaa’s funeral. A huge flex board of Jayalalithaa greeted visitors at the entrance. 

Council members began arriving and quietly entered the venue with lowered heads., without even greeting each other. The moment the GC announced that Sasikala was nominated General Secretary, the tone and tenor of the event changed. Songs on Chin namma were played.  

Jayalalithaa’s picture at the entrance was immediately covered with another huge flex board, showing both Sasikala and Jayalalithaa, announcing the change in command. 

However, the scene was not without its detractors. Some party cadre were heard hurling expletives against the present leadership and even a few ministers. Some among them even wondered aloud at the pace with which ministers shifted allegiance to Sasikala even before the ground at the Marina, where Jayalalithaa was buried, could dry up. 

A wooden chair used by former AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa at her residence was brought to the venue of the GC meet here on Thursday. It was placed at the centre of the dais on which her portrait was kept and floral tributes paid, in a seemingly symbolic move to cherish her memory. 

On the chair, a framed picture of Jayalalithaa was placed and flowers were showered on the photograph as a mark of respect to the late leader. Interestingly, the chair was covered by a green velvet cloth. (Green is said to have been Jaya’s favourite chair. Flower petals were placed on a stainless steel plate on a side table in front of her chair to help leaders pay their respects. The chair was placed at the centre of the dais and top leaders including party presidium chairman E Madusudanan and Chief Minister O Panneerselvam paid floral tributes before starting the proceedings.  Even when the meeting progressed, the chair dominated the centre of the dais in which over three dozen leaders were seated. When Jaya was alive, often she would be on the dais, and only a couple of seniors like Madusudanan would be present beside her.