Chennai: Leaders on Monday paid tributes to former chief minister J Jayalalithaa on her 77th birth anniversary. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami led the celebration at the party headquarters here, describing her as “a noble leader who lives in the hearts of Tamils”.
Several senior leaders, including K A Sengottaiyan and P Thangamani, were notably absent from this event. Splinter groups within the AIADMK held their own celebrations.
Taking to X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Jayalalithaa was widely admired as a compassionate leader and outstanding administrator who devoted her life to TN’s development.
“It is my privilege that I had the opportunity to interact with her on innumerable occasions. She was always very warm and supportive of pro-people initiatives,” Modi said. He shared a photograph of himself with Jayalalithaa at her Poes Garden residence in 2015, a year after becoming Prime Minister.
At the AIADMK headquarters, EPS garlanded Jayalalithaa’s statue, cut a cake, and launched the party’s sports wing. Addressing the gathering, EPS recalled the state ‘Girl Protection Day’ observed by the regime under him on Jayalalithaa’s birthday. He urged state govt to protect girl children from sexual offences and sensitise teachers on the issue.
In a social media post, he said, “A victorious AIADMK-led alliance will be formed, and we are going to achieve amazing victories. Let us work tirelessly and serve as Amma’s true cadres.”
Former CM O Panneerselvam and his supporters paid tribute to Jayalalithaa at a state govt-owned building on the Marina beach front.
“Our cadres’ wish is to see the party stay united. Our leaders dedicated their lives to safeguard the party for five decades. We are also waging a dharmayudh to realise the wishes of our cadres,” OPS said. State govt officers too paid tribute to Jayalalithaa’s portrait.
AMMK chief T T V Dhinakaran emphasised Jayalalithaa’s perseverance in implementing welfare schemes despite facing numerous obstacles.
Expelled AIADMK members, including V Pugazhendi and P Ravindhranath, paid their respects at Jayalalithaa’s Poes Garden residence.
Jayalalithaa’s niece, Deepa Madhavan, who now owns the property, believed the lack of unity could negatively impact the AIADMK in the 2026 assembly election. “AIADMK should unite for it to return to office,” she said. BJP state president K Annamalai described Jayalalithaa on X as “a great nationalist”.
Senior AIADMK leaders K A Sengottaiyan and P Thangamani participated in celebrations organised in Erode and Namakkal districts respectively.
On choosing to celebrate in Erode instead of AIADMK headquarters, Sengotttaiyan said leaders and cadres usually assemble at party headquarters for death anniversary to pay homage, whereas birth anniversaries shall be celebrated at as many places as possible across the state. He said based on instructions from the AIADMK general secretary, a public meeting would be organised in Erode on Feb 25. “AIADMK is an unshakable force and we will come back to power in 2026,” he said.
Thangamani, who gave away welfare measures in the morning, pulled the golden chariot at Namakkal Anjaneya temple in the evening.