Posters in Chennai hail Sasikala Natarajan, say 'golden period of Amma’s govt must continue under you'

Chennai: After Jayalalithaa's demise, reports have been rife that Sasikala Natarajan will be the next power centre in All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).

The murmurs got credential on Thursday when Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam met Amma's confidante Sasikala Natarajan at the Poes Garden residence of the late AIADMK supremo.

Today posters of Natarajan were put near Poes Garden residence, where Sasikala is residing.

The posters read: "Golden period of Amma’s govt must continue under you" thus giving a clear message that Natarajan, who earned the sobriquet of 'Jayalalithaa's shadow' by detractors, is most likely be appointed as the next general secretary of AIADMK.

Notably, party officials said senior ministers leaders were reportedly present at the Thursday meeting, signalling the importance of Sasikala in the AIADMK although she does not hold any party post.

It is learnt that one of the issues discussed was the party leadership post Jayalalithaa held.

Sasikala's supporters say that she had been Amma's aide, sister, friend and confidante, for 30 years through Jayalalithaa's ups and downs. And With O Panneerselvam taking over as Chief Minister, Sasikala should be the ideal choice as the general secretary of the party, they say.

It is said Sasikala may pitch for the general secretary post though the it may not be smooth sailing as there are other interested parties.

Panneerselvam is a Theevar and so is Sasikala. The other dominant caste groups in the AIADMK are Goundar, Vanniyar and Dalit.

The close confidante of Jayalalithaa was the only one seen near Jayalalithaa's body, who was attending the various personalities, who had come to pay their last tributes to the former AIADMK supremo.

Clad in a black saree, Sasikala, who remained a wall of support for Jayalalithaa through thick and thin, remained beside the casket of the departed leader as people filed past it paying their homage.

Sasikala performed the final rituals overseen by a Brahmin priest before her tricolour-draped body in a sandalwood casket was lowered into a grave near the MGR memorial.

The former AIADMK chief was laid to rest with full state honours next to her mentor and party founder MG Ramachandran or MGR, who brought the young Jayalalithaa from filmdom into the male-dominated Dravidian politics.