Himalayan task before the party and lawmakers

There is thus a political vacuum that cannot be filled that easily. Though finance minister O Paneerselvam (OPS) was the ‘consensus’ chief minister, it remains to be seen whether he will be asble to steer the party and government adroitly avoiding opposition and rival shoals. Though OPS is backed by the powerful Mukalathor clan to which Jayalalithaa’s confidant Sasikala Natarajan also belongs, PWD minister Edapadi K. Palanisamy’s Kongu Vellalar Gounder community and the Vanniars who also are quite a sizeable number among the 136 MLAs may have other ideas.  OPS had always been chosen for his loyalty and not seniority, party sources said.  If seniority was the criteria then the automatic choice would be former transport minister KA Sengottaiyan who remained loyal to Jayalalithaa right from the time she started a faction in her name to take on MGR’s widow and rival Janaki MGR in 1987. Vanniar MLAs mooted the idea of former MGR minister Panruti S. Ramachandran who earned the title ‘political chanakya’ during his heyday when MGR used him to handle prickly centre state issues.

However, party men are more eager to know about the next general secretary as this is a post that  holds enormous clout and is a rallying point for all party cadres. Doing the rounds is Sasikala’s name for the simple reason there is nobody else who fits the bill and has a thorough knowledge of party cadres. Her knowledge of party workers was gained when she vetted a number of complaints that came to Jayalalithaa before it reached her. Sasikala’s husband Natarajan who was ousted from Poes garden by Jayalalithaa was conspicuous by his presence near Jayalalithaa’ body. But he was also introduced to PM Narendra Modi at Rajaji Bhavan on Tuesday. Another person considered to be in the running is the Parliament deputy speaker Thambidurai who is very close to the BJP and might have his own ideas about who should occupy which post.