It seems that Sasikala Natarajan, the controversial aide of recently deceased Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, is not satisfied with the prospect of becoming All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s general secretary. In a development that has clearly undermined the position of Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, his cabinet colleagues have begun demanding that their “Chinnamma” or Little Mother, as Sasikala is referred to, should take over the position immediately.
The demands gained momentum on Monday when Pannerselvam made his first trip to New Delhi since taking over as chief minister on December 6, the day after Jayalalithaa’s death. He met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and presented a memorandum of demands on behalf of the Tamil Nadu government, including one seeking a relief amount of Rs 22,000 crore to repair the damage caused by last week’s Vardah cyclone.
Sasikala Natarajan has been a controversial figure over the last three decades. Her association with Jayalalithaa began in the mid-1980s, when she was introduced to the former chief minister by an Indian Administrative Service Officer, Chandralekha.
Sasikala started taking care of Jayalalithaa’s domestic needs and, barring brief intervals, lived as a close aide at her Poes Garden residence till the end of the chief minister’s life. Over the years, her family firmed up their grip on the AIADMK and at times were known to dictate crucial policies like party ticket distribution for elections. They also own huge businesses. In 1996, Sasikala and her relatives Ilavarasi and Sudhakaran were named co-accused in Jayalalithaa’s disproportionate wealth case and went to jail in 2014 after a Bengaluru court convicted them. The case is currently pending before the Supreme Court on appeal.
On December 19, 2011 Sasikala was removed from the AIADMK along with 13 others and was sent out of Jayalalithaa’s Poes Garden residence, where she had been living. They were accused of “anti-party” activities. Cadres were also strictly asked to keep away from the family. But Sasikala was taken back a few months later though her husband Natarajan continued to be kept away.
However, the enitre family came back to spotlight during Jayalalithaa’s funeral on December 6. Sasikala performed the last rites for the former AIADMK supremo. While the propaganda to make her the next general secretary has focused on her three-decade association with Jayalalithaa, much of these controversies have been brushed under the carpet. Except for Jayalalithaa’s niece Deepa Jayakumar, no one else has questioned the locus standi of Sasikala to become the AIADMK’s chief.
On Monday, senior ministers such as Edapadi K Palanisami and RB Udayakumar sought Panneerselvam’s replacement with Sasikala as chief minister. The AIADMK’s propaganda machine has been working overtime both on the ground and on social media to project the impression of wide public support for Sasikala’s takeover of the party. Posters and billboards hailing her as the political heir of Jayalalithaa have come up in almost every town. The AIADMK’s Twitter handle has been constantly posting out images of party officials pleading with Sasikala at Jayalalithaa’s Poes Garden residence to assume leadership. It did not go unnoticed that the propaganda team even put out edited versions of Jayalalithaa’s interviews that mention Sasikala, removing the parts where she was referred to as an aide at home.
The developments come at a time when Pannerselvam has earned appreciation from the media for the manner in which the administration responded to the very severe cyclonic storm Vardha. Unlike Jayalalithaa who rarely stepped out during the December 2015 floods, Panneerselvam was seen on the ground almost every day since the cyclone struck last Monday.
In the meantime, the Bharatiya Janata Party threw its weight behind the chief minister, complimenting the government’s response to the aftermath of the cyclone.
Significantly, Pannerselvam evaded questions from the media in New Delhi on whether he would pave the way for Sasikala to become chief minister.
Sycophancy on display
While the campaign last week centred around making Sasikala the AIADMK’s general secretary, Sunday witnessed a narrative shift. Ministers, including Udayakumar, made the dramatic move of tonsuring their heads at Jayalalithaa’s memorial, urging Sasikala to become the chief minister.
In television interview to Puthia Thalaimurai on Monday, Udayakumar justified his demand by claiming that two centres of power will do no good to the AIADMK. Therefore, Sasikala should assume the positions of both the chief minister and the party general secretary. Udayakumar is known to be close to members of the Sasikala family.
However, School Education Minister K Pandiarajan struck a cautious note on a television debate in the evening. He said while it was for Sasikala to decide whether she would want to be the chief minister, raising the question at the moment was unnecessary.
Some ministers also made the dramatic declaration that they were functioning with the guidance of Sasikala, who holds no official position in the administration.
On Tuesday, Sasikala wrote letters to President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, thanking them for attending Jayalalithaa’s funeral and consoling her at a time of grief.
The AIADMK is expected to hold its general council meeting in the last week of December and elect Sasikala as its new leader.
BJP prefers OPS
Meanwhile, the BJP’s national secretary H Raja said it would not be right to change the chief minister as it would lead to administrative paralysis. “Panneerselvam is functioning well,” he said.
The comment assumes significance given the positive equation that Modi and Panneerselvam have displayed. At Jayalalithaa’s funeral, Panneerselvam broke down the moment he saw Modi, who spent some time consoling him. Modi also readily agreed to meet Panneerselvam on Monday when an appointment was sought last week. It would be interesting to see how the Centre responds to Tamil Nadu’s demand of Rs 22,000 crore cyclone relief.
Further, in New Delhi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh met expelled AIADMK Rajya Sabha Member Sasikala Pushpa, who demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into Jayalalithaa’s death. Pushpa was removed from the AIADMK in August for “anti-party” activities.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!