AIADMK URGES SASIKALA TO TAKE OVER AS TAMIL NADU CM

CHENNAI: The AIADMK on Monday renewed its calls for Sasikala Natarajan to take over as Tamil Nadu chief minister, barely two days after she officially assumed her position as the acting general secretary of the ruling party.

In a statement released by senior party leader M Thambidurai, the AIADMK said the leadership of the party and the government had to be the same for progress.

“When the country is going to face parliamentary election in two years, our party AIADMK has to function very effectively ... to continue to win the election, as was done by Puratchi Thalaivar (MGR) and Puratchi Thalaivi (Jayalalithaa), I request that Respected Chinnamma (Sasikala) has to immediately take over the leadership, as Tamil Nadu CM,” Thambidurai wrote in a letter issued to media.

“It is my strong belief that it is very important that Respected Chinnamma has to shoulder the responsibility of the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, to take forward the party and to carry on the governance of Tamil Nadu, for the welfare of the people of Tamil Nadu,” he added.

This isn’t the first time that the party has asked Sasikala, who has never held any public office or contested an election, to take over from O Panneerselvam.

Panneerselvam is currently the chief minister, though he has a history of being a stand-in CM.

“This is hardly new. When Amma was alive he stood in for her as chief minister several times before going back to be the finance minister,” a senior AIADMK leader said.