VK Sasikala interacts with party leaders

CHENNAI: Four days after taking charge as the general secretary of the ruling AIADMK, V. K. Sasikala, close aide of former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, on Wednesday commenced the process of interacting with party leaders, legislators and Parliamentarians. The six-day long consultative meeting with party district functionaries comes against the backdrop of growing chorus among party leaders, especially Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M. Thambidurai and some state ministers urging her to don the mantle of Chief Minister and guide the party. Ms Saiskala was given a rousing reception when she arrived at the party headquarters here, and thousands of AIADMK members, including a large number of women, thronged to meet her.

She was received at the party office by senior leaders including Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, his cabinet colleagues, AIADMK presidum chairman E. Madhusudhanan, among others. A smiling Sasikala gave a patient hearing to some of the women cadres of the party, while entering her office. Later, she held consultative meetings with the office bearers and secretaries of Chennai, Tiruvallur, Vellore, Kancheepuram and Tiruvannamalai districts and discussed with them about the development and growth of the party. Her first interaction with the party functionaries after she took over as general secretary on Dec. 31 would continue till Jan. 9. During this marathon meeting she would meet the party functionaries from across the state.

While no meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, party functionaries from Theni and Dindigul districts would meet Sasikala on January 6. During the meeting lasting for about half-an-hour, she urged members to strive to increase party membership and bring youngsters into the AIADMK. “A big responsibility has fallen on my shoulders. Our journey will continue on the path shown by Amma,” she said at the interaction.

The birth anniversary celebration of party founder and former CM MGR should be celebrated on a grand scale, she added. She appealed to the party members to defeat the designs of certain political parties attempting to gain political mileage over Jaya’s demise.