AIADMK meet to urge ‘reluctant’ Sasi to be gen secy
Chennai: For those who witnessed the 'sacrifice' of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi saying no to the Prime Minister post in 2004, the AIADMK general council meet in Chennai on Thursday may give a deja vu.
Three weeks after the death of J Jayalalithaa, after virtually every senior leader of the AIADMK has pleaded with V K Sasikala to take over the reins, the long-time resident of Poes Garden appears to be reluctant. The general council -- a gathering of some 2,000 office bearers of the party's units at various levels -- at Vanagaram is expected to pass a resolution asking 'Chinnamma' to accept the post. But she may just keep away from the meeting.
Sasikala has reasons to be reluctant, at least for the time being: There has been dissent against her leadership, at the lower tiers of the organisation. "Sasikala has still not given her consent, but we are certain there would not be any contest for the post," said AIADMK spokesman C Ponnaiyan. "So far no nomination has been received by the party." Earlier in the day, party rebel Sasikala Pushpa's husband was bashed up by party cadres when he came to submit the RS member's nomination for the party general secretary post.
The party may have its game plan but it has to fulfil the norms laid down by the Election Commission of India to transact organisational tasks. To ensconce Sasikala in the post, the party may have to amend its by-laws that say the general secretary candidate should have been a member of the party for five years without a break. Sasikala does not satisfy this norm because of her expulsion from the party in 2011. Jayalalithaa expelled Sasikala, her husband M Natarajan and 13 other members of the family in December 2011, alleging "treacherous acts," but re-inducted Sasikala alone after her public apology in March 2012. Sasikala had accompanied Jayalalithaa at the party's executive committee meet in June this year.
Ponnaiyan said the by-laws need not be amended. The party's legal team had argued before the Madras high court (on a petition filed by Sasikala Pushpa last week, seeking to restrain the election of Sasikala), that there was no break in her membership since the action was duly cancelled by the party leader. The case has been reserved for judgement. Countering those doubting Sasikala's experience in party matters, some leaders argue that she had played a role in political decisions that Jayalalithaa took during their three decades of association.
Ponnaiyan said the general council is unlikely to transact any business except endorsing the statement of income and expenditure. Senior leaders who back Sasikala seem to have brought around some lower rung leaders who were murmuring in protest.
AIADMK Trichy urban district secretary and tourism minister Vellamandi N Natarajan said, "We are certain that only Chinnamma can steer the party after Amma." Incidentally, Trichy saw a number of banners put up by rebels supporting Jayalalithaa's niece Deepa Jayakuumar.
In the western belt, dominated by the Gounder community, which helped elect 47 MLAs, there is no sign of discontent. The prominent leaders of the region, including ministers Edappadi K Palaniswami, S P Velumani, P Thangamani and senior leader K A Sengottaiyan support Sasikala.
Chennai: For those who witnessed the 'sacrifice' of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi saying no to the Prime Minister post in 2004, the AIADMK general council meet in Chennai on Thursday may give a deja vu.
Three weeks after the death of J Jayalalithaa, after virtually every senior leader of the AIADMK has pleaded with V K Sasikala to take over the reins, the long-time resident of Poes Garden appears to be reluctant. The general council -- a gathering of some 2,000 office bearers of the party's units at various levels -- at Vanagaram is expected to pass a resolution asking 'Chinnamma' to accept the post. But she may just keep away from the meeting.
Sasikala has reasons to be reluctant, at least for the time being: There has been dissent against her leadership, at the lower tiers of the organisation. "Sasikala has still not given her consent, but we are certain there would not be any contest for the post," said AIADMK spokesman C Ponnaiyan. "So far no nomination has been received by the party." Earlier in the day, party rebel Sasikala Pushpa's husband was bashed up by party cadres when he came to submit the RS member's nomination for the party general secretary post.
The party may have its game plan but it has to fulfil the norms laid down by the Election Commission of India to transact organisational tasks. To ensconce Sasikala in the post, the party may have to amend its by-laws that say the general secretary candidate should have been a member of the party for five years without a break. Sasikala does not satisfy this norm because of her expulsion from the party in 2011. Jayalalithaa expelled Sasikala, her husband M Natarajan and 13 other members of the family in December 2011, alleging "treacherous acts," but re-inducted Sasikala alone after her public apology in March 2012. Sasikala had accompanied Jayalalithaa at the party's executive committee meet in June this year.
Ponnaiyan said the by-laws need not be amended. The party's legal team had argued before the Madras high court (on a petition filed by Sasikala Pushpa last week, seeking to restrain the election of Sasikala), that there was no break in her membership since the action was duly cancelled by the party leader. The case has been reserved for judgement. Countering those doubting Sasikala's experience in party matters, some leaders argue that she had played a role in political decisions that Jayalalithaa took during their three decades of association.
Ponnaiyan said the general council is unlikely to transact any business except endorsing the statement of income and expenditure. Senior leaders who back Sasikala seem to have brought around some lower rung leaders who were murmuring in protest.
AIADMK Trichy urban district secretary and tourism minister Vellamandi N Natarajan said, "We are certain that only Chinnamma can steer the party after Amma." Incidentally, Trichy saw a number of banners put up by rebels supporting Jayalalithaa's niece Deepa Jayakuumar.
In the western belt, dominated by the Gounder community, which helped elect 47 MLAs, there is no sign of discontent. The prominent leaders of the region, including ministers Edappadi K Palaniswami, S P Velumani, P Thangamani and senior leader K A Sengottaiyan support Sasikala.
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