Party resolution may bring Sasikala Natarajan closer to CM post

Chennai: As AIADMK general secretary V.K. Sasikala prepares to meet party MLAs on Sunday, there are strong indications to suggest that a resolution to elect her as chief minister will be moved by the ruling party legislators.

Party sources said a draft resolution had been prepared to bring Sasikala as the chief minister in place of O. Panneerselvam, who took over on December 5, after the demise of former chief minister J. Jayalalithaa.  

A top functionary said, “We know a resolution to elect Chinnamma as CM has been prepared, following pleas from ministers, MLAs and functionaries at the state and district level.  We are keeping our fingers crossed and hope Chinnamma will accept the CM post”.

Mr Panneerselvam’s ministerial colleagues were the first to make the demand, within a week of his taking over as CM, that Ms Sasikala should assume the CM post and later on it was followed by other MLAs, besides party  leaders at the state and district level.

Despite the disproportionate wealth case hanging like a Damocles sword over Ms Sasikala, there were speculations that she would become the CM before Pongal or immediately after the festival, but the month of January had passed and there was a brief lull in such speculations and demands for Ms Sasikala assuming CM post. 

However, political analysts see no pressing reasons for changing the chief minister now, as Mr Panneerselvam is carrying on the administration in an effective manner, winning the appreciation of everyone for his handling of the situation after cyclone Vardah hit the coast. 

He also functioned dynamically to bring the ordinance to hold bull taming sport jallikattu.