CHENNAI: Rejecting allegations against former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa’s aide V.K. Sasikala as ‘absurd and false’, AIADMK spokesperson C. Ponnaiyan on Thursday asserted that party rules would be relaxed to elect ‘Chinnaamma’ as the general secretary.
“Those who are jealous of Sasikala are raising unnecessary issues to split the AIADMK and freeze its symbol,” he told reporters here. “There is no opposition to Sasikala’s succession as AIADMK general secretary from the rank and file,” he said and added that the party rules would be relaxed to make her the general secretary. He also informed that the party’s general council and executive committee would be convened to take the decision.
He said that Sasikala is fully qualified to take over the leadership of AIADMK as she was “the shadow and conscience” of Jayalalithaa and was instrumental in the rise of Jayalalithaa in politics. “She left her family and lived a life of sacrifice for the former AIADMK chief,” he said.
When Jayalalithaa entered the AIADMK, the party had a membership of 30 lakh and it increased to 1.5 crore by Jayalalithaa assisted by Sasikala. “What more qualification is required,” he asked.
He expressed confidence that the party’s decision-making bodies, General Council and Executive Council, have powers to elect Sasikala to lead the party and that the “aspirations will be met” in this regard. Indicating their proximity, he said Sasi-kala was Jayalalithaa’s udanpirava sagothari (surrogate sister).
Ponnaiyan said an online campaign on WhatsApp and Facebook to “defame Sasikala” and “finish off AIADMK” by “opposition parties” will not succeed. Ponnaiyan recalled that whenever the party functionaries would want to discuss an issue with Jayalalithaa, she would “affectionately” refer them to Sasikala and “gave so much of importance to her”.
