AIADMK backs Sasikala to succeed Jaya as general secretary

The ruling AIADMK today strongly backed late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's close aide V K Sasikala to succeed her as party General Secretary, saying she qualifies to be elected "automatically" and "unanimously" to the post by virtue of being the departed leader's "conscience" for long.
Party spokesperson C Ponnaiyan said while Jayalalithaa was the "conscience" of AIADMK founder and her mentor M G Ramachandran, Sasikala was, likewise, her "conscience."
"Chinnamma (as Sasikala is addressed by party workers), had been with Amma through her good and bad times for 33 years. She had been Amma's conscience and continues to be so. She has played a vital role in keeping the party intact for long. Therefore, Chinnamma will be elected as General Secretary automatically and unanimously. There is no doubt or fear in that," he told reporters here.

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 Sasikala 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".
Sasikala "cared for and protected" Jayalalithaa, he said, adding, she had been a "shadow" and "conscience" of the late leader.

Meanwhile, scores of senior party functionaries thronged the Poes Garden residence of Jayalalithaa and urged Sasikala to take over the reins of AIADMK and lead the party.
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Meanwhile, Social Welfare Minister V Saroja, who is also staying at the resort, defended the appointment of Dinakaran, describing him as a "calm and humble man."
She recalled that Jayalalithaa had once appointed him as the secretary of a key party forum meant to interact with the workers.
"He is not new to the party. He had moved closely with party workers. He is a calm and humble man," she told reporters at the Koovathur resort.

Saroja said that party MLAs will abide by the decision of Sasikala as she had been elected the General Secretary.
To a question about police presence in the resort, she alleged "they are exerting pressure (to vacate) and we are staying here with our families voluntarily."
This had been made clear to the police officials, she said.
Asked who was behind the police "pressure," she shot back "you know it."
Saroja, who was part of the AIADMK team led by its Legislature Party Leader Edappady K Palaniswami that met the Governor to stake claim to form the government yesterday, exuded confidence that Ch Vidyasagar Rao will extend his invitation soon to them for this purpose.