No rift in the party for General Secretary's post: AIADMK

Chennai: Denying any rift or fight for the powerful post of General Secretary, Tamil Nadu's ruling AIADMK on Saturday said the party will soon elect someone to the post.

"The reports about some persons mobilising support for themselves to claim the General Secretary post are all baseless rumours," AIADMK spokesperson C. Ponnaiyan told the media here.

Ponnaiyan said the party would soon elect a person whom the souls of party founder M.G. Ramachandras (MGR) or the late Chief Minister and General Secretary J. Jayalalithaa would like to lead the AIADMK.

"With over 1.5 crore members, AIADMK is like a banyan tree. The party is united and cohesive. There is no infighting in the party for any post," Ponnaiyan said.

He said there was no void in the party and there was a second line of command.

Party leader and former minister K.A. Sengottaiyan on Friday denied the reports of making a claim to the most coveted party post.

Queried about Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam and other ministers meeting V.K. Sasikala, a close associate of Jayalalithaa, at the Poes Garden residence, Ponnaiyan pointed out that there were two organs -- the government and the party -- to which the ministers belong.

"At Poes Garden residence of Jayalalithaa the ministers might have gone to pay floral tributes to the late leader," Ponnaiyan said.

Ponnaiyan did not have an answer to the question about the existence of a will by Jayalalithaa.

A senior party leader told IANS that there was no person in the party now who was as charismatic as Jayalalithaa.

"The next leader will have to grow in stature as a true follower of Jayalalithaa," he said.