Sasikala Natarajan to formally take charge of AIADMK today

V K Sasikala Natarajan, 54, a close aide of late Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa, will today formally take charge as general secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) at the party's headquarters in Chennai.

AIADMK party members had in a unanimous resolution adopted at the party's general council meeting earlier this week, appointed Sasikala to the post.

The AIADMK in its general body meeting passed a resolution to work under the leadership of Sasikala.

The resolution was accepted by Sasikala, the confirmation of which was posted on the party's Twitter handle.

"AIADMK adopts resolution to work under the leadership of Chinnamma," it read.

After Jayalalithaa died, the party had announced that Natarajan would replace her as the chief of her party even though she is not technically qualified.

The general secretary has to have completed five years as an active member.