Chennai: Jayalalithaa Peravai, a wing of the ruling AIADMK, on Saturday urged VK Sasikala, aide of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, to take over the mantle of party General Secretary, contest in bypoll and become Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister.
A resolution in this regard was adopted at a meeting of the Peravai held at the burial site of Jayalalithaa at the Marina Beach in Chennai.
Later, it was handed over to Sasikala by the Peravai's Secretary R B Udhayakumar, who is also the Tamil Nadu Revenue Minister, at the Poes Garden residence of Jayalalithaa where Sasikala continues to live.
At a time when the party leaders including Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai have been urging Sasikala to lead the party, the Peravai's resolution impressing upon Jayalalithaa's confidante to take over as Chief Minister assumes significance.
Homage was paid to Jayalalithaa at the site before the meeting began, which was attended by 50 Peravai district (party-districts) Secretaries and AIADMK presidium chairman E Madhusudanan.
Among the participants were State Ministers, Kadambur Raju (Information Technology) and Sevoor S Ramachandran (Hindu Religious and Endowments Department) who also happen to be among the district Peravai secretaries of the AIADMK.
"Besides guarding the AIADMK, Chinnamma (as Sasikala is referred to by party workers) should fight the RK Nagar bypoll (now vacant due to the death of Jayalalithaa) and assume responsibility as Chief Minister, and lead the Amma's government," Udhayakumar told reporters.
The resolution adopted at the Peravai meeting condoled Jayalalithaa's death, hailed her contribution and work for the people. It also hailed Sasikala as the party's only "trust and confidence" in the wake of void created by the death of Amma.
Meanwhile, State Ministers, AIADMK functionaries and the general public continued to throng the burial site of Jayalalithaa to pay their homage. Food packets were distributed by the AIADMK at the burial site to visitors.
A "music homage" was paid to Jayalalithaa by veena exponent of the traditional Carnatic music E Gayathri, who is also the vice chancellor of Tamil Nadu Music and Fine Arts University at Marina beach burial site of the late Chief Minister.
