AIADMK meeting on Sunday

M Thambidurai want Sasikala to take over the leadership of the government, says AIADMK leader

Amid growing rumours that general secretary V K Sasikala will take over as chief minister from O Panneerselvam next week, a meeting of MLAs of Tamil Nadu’s ruling party, AIADMK, will be held on Sunday. MLA is member of legislative assembly, AIADMK is All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.
 
The rumours have been fuelled by developments such as the party appointing 15 influential people organising secretary and reports that officials who were close to the late J Jayalalithaa have been removed or have themselves resigned from their posts.
 
"Sunday meeting of MLAs at 1.30 pm. The agenda will be known then," said a senior party functionary.

 

Another senior leader accused the media of putting out such stories. Senior party leaders including Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai want Sasikala to take over the leadership of the government.
 
On Friday, Sasikala, whom party workers call Chinnamma, released a statement on the appointment of the organising secretaries. This is interpreted as a move to placate the popular leaders while Sasikala prepares to take charge. The general perception is that the BJP-led government at the Centre is favouring Panneerselvam as chief minister. Panneerselvam met Prime Minister Narendra Modi more than once in a short span of time after being sworn in.

 
According to reports, Sheela Balakrishnan, who was chief secretary and Jayalalithaa's close aide, was removed, along two others.
 
After Jayalalithaa’s death on December 5, 2016, Sasilaka took charge as general secretary of the AIADMK on December 30.