Jaya poised for fifth term at the helm in AIADMK

Chennai, Sep 2 (UNI) The Opposition AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa is all set to be re-elected to the post for the fifth term as the process of election to the highest post began today.

Filing of nominations for the top post began this morning and Ms Jayalalithaa was all set to be formally declared elected unopposed on September 10, when the results would be announced.

The party high command has appointed Ms Visalakshi Nedunchezhiyan as election officer.

On the first day of filing of nomination, no papers were received, party sources said. The nominations close on September seven.

The papers would be taken up for scrutiny on September eight and after the withdrawal date on September nine, the election results -in the event of a contest- would be announced on September 10.

Ms Jayalalithaa is likely to be the lone candidate for the post.

Like last year, party leaders would vie with each other in filing papers on behalf of Ms Jayalalithaa.

After the death of party founder leader M G Ramachandran in 1987, the AIADMK split into two groups, one headed by Ms Jayalalithaa and the other by MGR's widow Janaki Ramachandran.

But after the two factions suffered a debacle in the 1989 assembly elections, they merged. Since Ms Ramachandran quit active politics, Ms Jayalalithaa has been heading the party.

She was elected as General secretary for the fourth term in 2003.

As per the party Constitution, elections to the General Secretary's post should be conducted once in five years and all primary members of the party would be eligible to vote.

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