Jayalalithaa's death paves way for Sasikala to control the seat of power

Chennai: Sasikala Natarajan, Jayalalithaa’s close friend who performed the late Chief Minister’s last rites on Tuesday, on Monday manoeuvred the party's transition from Jayalalithaa’s leadership into a leadership that has her approval.

According to a report in NDTV, Sasikala Natarajan sprung into action even before Jayalalithaa was dead. She called a meeting of all ministers and legislators of the AIADMK early morning on Monday, while Jayalalithaa lay in the ICU. There, the ministers and legislators were made to sign next to their names on three otherwise blank A-4 sheets of paper.

Each signed next to their name, said the report. No information was provided on how the signatures would be used. They were also made to sign a register that would establish that a party conclave had been held.

The report claims that Jayalalithaa actually died at 2 pm on Monday, after which a meeting was called for 6 pm. This meeting was known to the media, but it was not attended by five of the most senior ministers, including Chief Minister O Panneerselvam.

Instead, the meeting was attended by a coterie of heavyweights in AIADMK known to Sasikala, who deftly negotiated the transfer of power.

Some news channels reported at about 5 pm that Jayalalithaa had died, but this was suppressed later. Though the hospital clarified that was not the case, the legislators were not allowed to leave the party office for the hospital. Shortly after 11 pm, the five missing ministers arrived, said the report.

The party chairman, Madhusudhanan, was handed a one-line statement to read out - it established that Panneerselvam would be the next Chief Minister.

Almost 30 ministers were then packed into buses that left for Raj Bhavan for the oath-taking ceremony.

All officials needed for the formalities had been organised at the Governor’s mansion, said the report. At 11:30 pm, Jayalalithaa was declared dead, causing many ministers to weep openly. O Panneerselvam took oath as the new CM of Tamil Nadu at 1:30 am.

Sasikala Natarajan has never held any government or party post but derived power from being Jayalalithaa's long time companion since the 1980s. She is from the same community as Panneerselvam, who emerged as Jayalalithaa's right hand man with Natarajan’s support. Sasikala, 59, now seems set to exercise considerable influence over the seat of power.