Chennai: Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai on Sunday exhorted Sasikala to take over the leadership of the AIADMK and lead its 1.5 crore members. The party cadre as well as the people of Tamil Nadu know very well that she is the “political heir” of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, Mr Thambidurai said.
In a three-page statement issued through the AIADMK headquarters, the senior AIADMK leader said Sasikala has been guiding Ms Jayalalithaa and the AIADMK for more than three decades and “she is the only one” who could guide the party towards prosperity in the footsteps of Dravidian stalwart C.N. Annadurai and late Chief Minister MGR.
“I sincerely request Chinamma (Sasikala) to accept the request of cadre like me and take over the reins of the AIADMK to lead the 1.5 crore strong cadre of the party and protect the people of Tamil Nadu,” Mr Thambidurai, one of the senior leaders of the party, said in an emotional appeal.
Many senior AIADMK leaders have been requesting Sasikala to take over as General Secretary of the party after the demise of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa who had also held the post of the party supremo.
“Since its inception in 1972, the AIADMK has always been fighting for the rights and betterment of the people of Tamil Nadu and the late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa dedicated her entire life for the people of the state.
“In the present scenario where Puratchi Thalaivi Amma is no more, Chinamma (Sasikala) is the only one who has capacity to lead the AIADMK from here…she is the gift given by Amma to lead the AIADMK and its cadre,” Mr. Thambidurai said.
The Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker noted the “sacrifices” made by Sasikala in protecting the party along with late J. Jayalalithaa and said she had even be jailed in cases foisted due to political vendetta. She had also guided “late Amma” in running the administration and the party”, Mr Thambidurai argued.
“During the election time, Amma had instructed leaders like to work under the guidance of Chinamma and she has always helped me in carrying out my responsibilities…Amma herself had allowed us to call her (Sasikala) Chinamma,” Thambidurai said.
