Sasikala to formally take over as AIADMK chief tomorrow

VK Sasikala, who was appointed to the top post in the AIADMK yesterday, will formally take charge as its general secretary here tomorrow, the party said today.

The AIADMK headquarters at Royapettah here is being spruced up for the occasion with a dais being set up near the MGR statue to facilitate Sasikala to pay tributes to the party founder before taking charge.

She is expected to formally assume office as the party chief by 11 am tomorrow, AIADMK spokesperson CR Saraswathy told PTI.

In keeping with the Dravidian political ethos of paying tributes at memorials of leaders before key events, Sasikala placed a wreath and paid floral tributes to Jayalalithaa at her burial site in the MGR Memorial at Marina beach this evening.
 

She also laid wreaths and paid floral tributes at the memorials of MG Ramachandran and Dravidian ideologue and former Tamil Nadu chief minister CN Annadurai.

Amid chants of "compassionate mother Chinnamma" by her partymen, Sasikala showered flower petals on Jayalalithaa's burial site.

With moist eyes, she placed a copy of the party resolution appointing her as the AIADMK general secretary at the burial site.

After silently praying for a while, she went around the site during which she paused and touched it twice as a mark of respect.

On her arrival at the MGR Memorial, Sasikala was received by AIADMK presidium chairman E Madusudanan, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker and senior party leader M Thambidurai and state ministers, including Dindigul C Srinivasan and Edappadi K Palanisami.

They accompanied her as she paid her respects to the late leaders.

Party MPs, MLAs former ministers and legislators were also present on the occasion even as a large number of AIADMK cadre thronged the place.

Earlier, former Puducherry chief minister and chief of the All India NR Congress (AINRC) N Rangaswamy met Sasikala at her Poes Garden residence and congratulated her on being appointed as the AIADMK chief.