V.K. Sasikala, the long-time confidante of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, may be strongly favoured by several AIADMK leaders and office-bearers to become its general secretary, but the existing provisions of the party’s constitution are not in her favour.
She does not fulfil the rule of mandatory five-year uninterrupted primary membership of the party to contest for any party post.
Section 30 (5) of the AIADMK Rules and Regulations amended in February 2007 states: “Those who want to contest for the post of office-bearers in the organisation should have been member of the party for five years without any break.”
However, party sources say should Ms. Sasikala agree to run for the top post, there is one way the rule can be overcome — if it is considered as a special case by the Executive Committee.
“The decision of the Executive Committee should be later ratified by the General Council. The newly-elected general secretary can later uphold the decisions of the Executive Committee and the General Council,” a party leader well-versed with the AIADMK’s constitution told The Hindu .
Expelled in 2011
Ms. Sasikala, who was an AIADMK member, along with her husband M. Natarajan and other close relatives was expelled from the primary membership of the party in December 2011, when she sent out of Jayalalithaa’s ‘Veda Nilayam’ residence in Poes Garden as well. The then general secretary (Jayalalithaa) had asked the partymen not to have any contact with Ms. Sasikala and the other expelled members. There was no specific reason given for the expulsion.
After Ms. Sasikala’s apologised to Jayalalithaa, she was re-admitted into the party, though the exact date is not known. What was made public is that in April 2012, Jayalalithaa had welcomed her back to her household.
