J Jayalalithaa elected AIADMK general secretary for a record seventh time (File pic)
J Jayalalithaa has been elected AIADMK general secretary, the party's highest rank, for a record seventh time. More than six crore rupees have been received by the party as nomination fee.
Fawning party workers rushed to file nomination on the behalf of their leader - 2467 people paid Rs 25,000 each. There was, of course, no opponent.
Ms Jayalalithaa, 66, is the Tamil Nadu chief minister and led her party to a virtual sweep of the state in this year's national elections, winning 37 of the 39 seats. That has placed the party at a powerful number 3 behind the ruling BJP and the Congress in the Lok Sabha.
Ms Jayalalithaa, a former actress, has been the unchallenged leader of the AIADMK for the last 25 years.
The party was launched in 1972 by MG Ramachandran, who was the first general secretary of the party and held the post from 1974 till 1977, the year he became Chief Minister.
Ms Jayalalithaa debuted in the AIADMK in 1982 as a 34 year old. Other party leaders were general secretary till MGR died in 1987 and the party split, one faction led by the founder's wife Janaki Ramachandran and the other by his protege, Ms Jayalalithaa.
The factions merged in 1989 and Ms Jayalalithaa has been the party general secretary since.