Chennai: In a desperate move to keep the party under their control, the family of V. K. Sasikala is actively toying with the idea of anointing her nephew and former MP T. T. V Dinakaran as the AIADMK general secretary.
With the Supreme Court dashing the Chief Ministerial ambitions and hopes of Ms Sasikala, the family, especially her husband Mr Natarajan, is desperate to take at least the party into control and is moving towards installing Mr Dinakaran as the general secretary, informed sources told Deccan Chronicle.
The Sasikala camp is understood to have decided to field Mr Dinakaran to “take over” the party since he was an active member of the AIADMK, serving as MP twice – once in Lok Sabha and once in Rajya Sabha and as treasurer of the party during late Jayalalithaa’s tenure as general secretary.
The family, which has taken complete control of the party after Jayalalithaa’s death and subsequent appointment of Ms Sasikala as general secretary, wants to further consolidate its base by ensuring that the entire structure of the AIADMK is at its disposal even after Ms Sasikala goes to jail as per the Supreme Court verdict.
The move, once it is made public, is expected to draw severe criticism from within the party, as many leaders would not want the AIADMK to go into control of “one family.” Already, the OPS’ camp has targeted the “family” alleging that Ms Sasikala has “betrayed” late Jayalalithaa by allowing people who were expelled by the late leader into Poes Garden residence.
“The family does not want to leave its control over the party. With the government completely going out of its hand though Sasikala loyalist – Edappadi Palanisamy - might still hold it if the Governor invites him to form government, the family is desperate to keep the party under its absolute control,” the sources said.
Ms Sasikala and Mr Natarajan, the sources said, feel if the party goes under the control of Mr Dinakaran, they might still influence all decisions within the outfit and in the government headed by the party.
The OPS camp will oppose the decision tooth and nail since they have already challenged the appointment of Ms Sasikala as General Secretary. The OPS camp says Ms Sasikala’s appointment is “null and void” since the General Body of the party did not elect her.
