Jayalalitha re-elected party chief

Ruling AIADMK chief J Jayalalitha was re-elected unanimously as the party general secretary, confirming that there were no political opponents in her party.

Party’s oganisation secretary Visalatchi Nedunchezhiyan, also the “election commissioner”, said all the papers received from August 20 to 24 had nominated Jayalalitha alone for the party’s powerful top post and declared that she had been elected under relevant party rules.

“It is being announced with joy that Jayalalitha has been unanimously elected General Secretary of AIADMK,” she said in a party statement.

Thanking party supporters who had proposed her candidature for the post, Jayalalitha said, “I assure you I will continue to work for the party’s growth and development and for the welfare of the people of the country.”

Jayalalitha has been holding the post of general secretary since 1987 following the death of party founder M G Ramachandran.

The elections to the general secretary post are held once in five years in accordance with party rules. Earlier, the party had received a total of 2,467 papers seeking re-nomination of Jayalalitha as general secretary.