Sasikala, the next chief minister of Tamil Nadu

Panneerselvam had reportedly removed the loyalists of former chief minister J. Jayalalithaa from the higher echelons of the party’s administration on February 3.

It was also Panneerselvam, who succeeded Jayalalithaa after her death in December, who insisted that she first become the AIADMK chief too, she said.

Jayalalithaa, the second-longest serving female of chief minister in India, was a popular film actress, a charismatic mass orator, a seasoned politician and had become a towering personality, not just in Tamil Nadu, but in national politics as well.

She will succeed Mr. O. Panneerselvam, senior leader of the ruling AIADMK, who was sworn in as the Chief Minister of the state in the early hours of December 6, succeeding Ms. Jayalalithaa who passed away at a private hospital here late night on December 5. After sticking close to Jayalalithaa for years, Sasikala had presumed that Amma’s post would automatically be transferred to her. She took charge of the post on 31 December, pledging to take forward the legacy of Jayalalithaa. Prior to the party meeting on a day of fast-pased developments, Panneerselvam visited the Poes Garden Residence to meet Sasikala. Jayakumar died in 1990 after which no other relative had access to her, including her niece Deepa Jayakumar, who tried to call on Amma when she was admitted to Apollo Hospital in November a year ago. Meanwhile, Party MLAs had started assembling at the AIADMK Headquarters in the city for the meeting to be chaired by Sasikala. Soon her husband and some relatives also joined in to help Jayalalithaa manage her political affairs. She is called “Chinnamma“, meaning aunt, taking after Jayalalithaa – who was popularly known among her legions of supporters as Amma (or mother). Within weeks of coming in contact with the fast-rising AIADMK star, Sasikala became her most endeared friend.

But Sasikala is by no means a more popular politician than the man she will be replacing. Twice when she forfeited office following court conviction in corruption cases, he held the fort as Interim Chief Minister until she cleared her name.

Unfazed by criticisms, the AIADMK MLAs have chosen Sasikala Natarajan as their legislative party leader.