All eyes on AIADMK’s general council meet by December end

AIADMK presidium chairman E. Madhusoodhanan is expected to convene the party’s all-powerful general council (GC) before the end of December to decide on the next general secretary, informed sources said. “Works related to the GC meeting is expected to begin soon after the seven-day mourning declared by the state government ends on December 11” party sources said. Already hectic lobbying by groups, belonging to different castes and regions, who want their man in the top seat, has started” party men said. 

Political analyst T George said that “Sasikala had no alternative other than to opt for the general secretary’s post as without power she would have not protection in various cases against her. Her ambitions to ascend the CM’s saddle might not be that easy as she has to win an election. Though the by election to the RK Nagar Assembly constituency, which has now fallen vacant after the demise of J Jayalalithaa, has to be held by June 3, it is doubtful whether Sasikala will enter the fray as a majority of cadre still remember the various land grab incidents involving her during the AIADMK’s first term in 1991-1996. Acceptance as general secretary by cadre will be far easier than winning the people’s mandate.” But what has astonished and angered many grassroot cadre is how those who benefited from Jayalalithaa’s largesse did not even bother to put up banners to mourn her. 

Senior party officials on condition of anonymity said, “such worthies included P. Kathiyayini and S Chokkalingam mayor and deputy mayor of Vellore corporation respectively and the former deputy mayor VD Dhamalingam. In many places, grassroot workers were glued to their TVs going the entire day without food and after Amma’s burial took the mandatory full head bath to end the period of mourning. Similarly, within 24 hours of Jayalalithaa’s burial AL Chinnathambi of Thamarathi village in Sivaganga district restarted the Chinnamma Peravai, after Sasikala. Chinnathambi was chastised by Jayalalithaa when he started the outfit then. The Peravai which Jayalalithaa banned has been resurrected now.