Tamil Nadu's New Empress

It has been a meteoric rise for Sasikala, who once ran a video-casette business. She is now on the verge of being anointed successor to late Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa.

- Shivani Chaturvedi

As J Jayalalithaa lay in state at the imposing Rajaji Hall in Chennai, a black sari-clad woman with puffy eyes quietly stood at her side. She was Sasikala Natarajan, who barring a brief period, had steadfastly been with Jayalalithaa through the ups and downs of Tamil Nadu’s caste-riven politics.

After spending over three decades living in the shadow of a larger-than life Jayalalithaa, Sasikala, 60, is the woman to watch out for as she is not only expected to lead the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), but also perhaps take over the reins of the state by becoming the chief minister.

Jayalalithaa’s sprawling Poes Garden mansion continues to be the hub of activity as ministers as well as bureaucrats make a beeline to meet Sasikala, who is addressed as Chinnamma.

Since Jayalalithaa’s death on December 5, the frizzy-haired Sasikala has been aggressively projected as the next leader of the ruling AIADMK. Sasikala was, after all, udanpiravaa sagodhari (sister not related through blood).

So, who is Sasikala?

“She is the woman who knows too much about Jayalalithaa,” says Vaasanthi, a popular Tamil writer and journalist. She is more enigmatic than Jayalalithaa, Vaasanthi tells Governance Now.

Sasikala, who hails from Mannargudi in Tiruvarur district of Tamil Nadu, had humble beginnings. In 1975, she married Chennai-based M Natarajan, who was working as assistant public relations officer with the government. His first posting was in Cuddalore district, where VS Chandralekha was the district magistrate. Later, as head of TIDCO, Chandralekha had opposed the AIADMK government’s disinvestment plan for the state PSu. She was attacked with acid, and later, an AIADMK minister was arrested in connection with it. She then turned to politics and shared a love-hate relationship with Jayalalithaa.