Will Sasikala Natrajan replace O Paneerselvam as Tamil Nadu CM? Crucial AIADMK meet today

Sasikala Natrajan may take over as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, according to several media reports.

Pic courtsey: @AIADMKOfficial

Chennai: VK Sasikala Natrajan, the close aide of former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa, is likely to replace O Paneerselvam and take over as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister on February 8 or 9, according to several media reports. 

AIADMK has called a 'crucial' party meet on Sunday to finalise on Sasikala's name for the post, a News18 report said. An official statement regarding the same will most likely be released in coming days. 

Meanwhile, a closed-door meeting is underway between Paneerselvam and Sasikala after which she will hold meet with party leaders today.

Reports of Sasikala's elevation to the top party post come at a time when three of her loyalists were recently inducted to key party posts. Current Chief Minister Paneerselvam will resign from the post to make way for Sasikala, said another media report. 

Top leaders of AIADMK in the past have demanded that Sasikala take over from Panneerselvam as 'it's unwise for the party and government to have separate power centers.'

There were media speculations that Sasikala would take over as state Chief Minister by January end but the change in power was delayed because of the massive protests held in Tamil Nadu over court's ban on Jallikattu.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy led a veiled attack on the leadership of AIADMK and said that "it would be really awkward if Sasikala goes on to become the next Tamil Nadu Chief Minister" citing her involvement in a graft case. 

"There was no bar to Sasikala becoming the Chief Minister but, the practical questions are there. There`s my case in the Supreme Court regarding the disproportionate assets. She`s also party to it. She is also one of the accused. So, it will be awkward if she becomes the Chief Minister," Swamy told ANI on Sunday.