Call For 'Chinnamma' Sasikala Natarajan As Chief Minister Begins In Party

Chennai: Sasikala Natarajan, appointed chief of Tamil Nadu's ruling party over the weekend, must now become of the head of government, a top leader from the AIADMK said today.

M. Thambidurai , who is a member of the Lok Sabha, reasoned that it's unwise for the party and government to have separate power centres. "Governments have lost their credibility among the people, when the leadership of the party and the leadership of the government was in the hands of two different persons," he said.

He also said that with the general election just two years away, it's imperative for the AIADMK to ensure it delivers on the promises of J Jayalalithaa, who died as Chief Minister last month. With 37 members of parliament, the party is an important player, especially in the Rajya Sabha where the government is in a minority.

Sasikala Natarajan, 62, was Jayalalithaa's closest aide and kept vigil during the politician's long hospital stay that began in September. At her funeral in December, Ms Natarajan carried out the last rites for the 68-year-old referred to by supporters as "Amma."

After her death, Jayalalithaa was replaced as Chief Minister by O Panneerselvam, 65, who had stood in for her twice earlier when she was arrested on charges of corruption. Known for carrying a photo of Jayalalithaa in his pocket every day, Mr Panneerselvam has not commented so far on today's call for him to step down for Ms Natarajan, dubbed "Chinnamma" or mother's younger sister.

When she took over as the AIADMK'S Chief Secretary on Saturday, a post held by Jayalalithaa for nearly 27 years, Ms Natarajan vowed to function exactly like her predecessor "without even any minute changes".

Ms Natarajan, according to party sources, orchestrated the oath-taking of Mr Panneerselvam as Chief Minister just hours after Jayalalithaa died, with critics suggesting that she wanted to control the transfer or power to ensure the AIADMK remained united with a central role for her.

Recently, Revenue Minister Udayakumar launched the campaign asking for Sasikala Natarajan to become Chief Minister. Denying an unsubtle revolt against Mr Panneerselvam, he said "Mr Panneerselvam is a symbol of loyalty in the party and he was the first person to ask Chinnamma to become Chief Minister".

The AIADMK has never been shy about its all-out, unquestioning, sycophantic loyalty to one main leader.  Jayalalithaa's ministers habitually prostrated her at official functions, a practice she did not seek to curtail. So the new lobbying for a change in Chief Minister is generating significant status anxiety at a time when there are questions about how united the party will remain after the loss of Jayalalithaa. "If the AIAMDK has to remain one and continue to grow from strength to strength in Amma's footsteps, then Chinnamma is the only savior," said party spokesperson Dr V Maitreyan.

Sasikala Natarajan's biggest asset is the 33-year-long friendship that Jayalalithaa flaunted, except for a brief falling out in 2011. She's also a member of the powerful and rich Thevar community. But because of that short-lived estrangement, which saw her being expelled and then readmitted to the AIADMK, she doesn't yet have the five-year uninterrupted party membership that's a must-have for the AIADMK'S office-bearers. Another drawback is the fact that the Supreme Court is yet to decide on whether she is guilty of corruption in a case where she was named along with Jayalalithaa.