'Backroom worker' Sasikala Natarajan appointed as AIADMK Chief: 5 things to know

Chennai: The ruling AIADMK party on Thursday passed a resolution to work under the leadership of V.K. Sasikala a close aide of former Chief Minister and party leader late J. Jayalalithaa, the party said. The party's general council passed the resolution at its meeting here. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam and other leaders attended the meeting. Sasikala has also been appointed as a temporary General Secretary of the party. The council also passed a resolution condoling the death of Jayalalithaa. Unknown facts about Sasikala:

• On 19 December 2011, Jayalalithaa expelled Sasikala Natarajan from AIADMK party for allegedly running a parallel government

• On 31 March 2012, Sasikala was admitted back into the party, when she vowed to sever her ties with all her relatives and to serve with no public ambitions

• Sasikala along with Jayalalithaa and two others spent 21 days in jail in connection with disproportionate asset case

• In early life, Sasikala opened a video renting business, to supplement the family income and later added video recording of programs and functions like marriages to the business

• Sasikala, known as " Chinnamma" (junior mother), faced considerable pressure from her family and some MLAs to take over as party general secretary, a post Jayalalithaa held.

But she has so far been reluctant because she is more comfortable operating in the background and is not used to speaking from a public platform, something the post would require her to do. "She is an average speaker, while communication is important for a party leader. She is unsure whether she would be able to carry out the responsibility," a senior MLA had told The Telegraph, Calcutta. "Comparisons with Jayalalithaa will be inevitable, and she does not want to cut a sorry figure before the public and the cadres." Another AIADMK senior said that Sasikala had always been a backroom worker. "She prefers to be the director and is unsure about suddenly turning director-actor. So there's a possibility of appointing someone else as general secretary - someone who would take orders from her," he said. Sasikala has faced attacks on the social media since Jayalalithaa's death. Some posters have accused her of slow-poisoning her friend. Some have highlighted how several of her family members whom Jayalalithaa had banished from her circle dominated the funeral, pushing even ministers to the background.