CHENNAI: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, V K Sasikala, J Deepa, niece of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, and AIADMK coordination committee office-bearer V Pugazhendi, among others, paid homage to Jayalalithaa on her 77th birth anniversary on Monday.
Palaniswami paid homage along with senior functionaries and cadre at the AIADMK headquarters in Chennai, while Panneerselvam paid tribute to the late leader at the statue of Jayalalithaa on the Marina. Sasikala celebrated the late leader’s birth anniversary in Usilampatti. AMMK general secretary T T V Dhinakaran paid his tributes via a post on X, while Pugazhendi paid floral tributes at the portrait of the late leader’s residence, Veda Nilayam, along with J Deepa, her niece. Actor Rajinikanth also paid floral tributes at her residence.
At AIADMK headquarters, Palaniswami hoisted the party flag and cut a 77-kg cake to mark the 77th birth anniversary of Jayalalithaa and distributed it to cadre. He also launched the party’s sports wing during the event.
Addressing party cadre, Palaniswami recalled that during the AIADMK regime, the birth anniversary of Jayalalithaa was observed as the State Women and Girl Children Safety Day. “Now, there is no safety for women and girl children,” he said and recalled the numerous incidents in which women and children were harassed or sexual assaulted.
While most of the former ministers and senior leaders took part in the celebrations in Chennai, former minister K A Sengottaiyan celebrated the occasion in Gobichettipalayam. When asked about his absence at the party headquarters, he said that had it been the late leader’s death anniversary he would have gone to Chennai, but since it was her birth anniversary, he chose to remain in his constituency and distribute welfare aid.
Party sources said that another senior functionary P Thangamani was absent due to personal obligations.