Post-Jayalalithaa, the AIADMK is entering a new phase of uncertainty. The reticent V.K. Sasikala may have done a lot of behind-the-scenes work and the former Chief Minister may have described her as “my surrogate sister who had taken the place of my mother” — conferring a certain pre-eminence on her among partymen — but the fact remains that she was not assigned any political role to claim. How Ms. Sasikala strategises to match the DMK’s M.K. Stalin’s popularity and Ms. Jayalalithaa’s niece Deepa Jayakumar, who has dropped a hint of staking a claim to her aunt’s political legacy, will now be closely watched in political circles (“Open to joining politics, says Deepa”, Dec.11).
G. David Milton,
Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu
It is disconcerting that the top leadership of the AIADMK has been making a beeline for the Poes Garden residence of Jayalalithaa to meet Ms. Sasikala and appealing to her to assume the leadership of the party (“Take over AIADMK mantle, leaders appeal to Sasikala”, “Panneerselvam backs Sasikala as party chief” and “OPS visits Sasikala ahead of Cabinet meet”, all Dec.11). Received wisdom says that an extraconstitutional authority in the State is the last thing that Tamil Nadu needs. An extraconstitutional authority anywhere is abhorrent. The people of Tamil Nadu should not be belittled and taken for granted. The cartoon “MGR zindabad, Amma zindabad, Chinnamma! zindabad” (Dec.11), speaks louder than 1,000 words.
C.G. Kuriakose,
Kothamangalam, Kerala
