Chennai: It is official. AIADMK interim general secretary VK Sasikala will be the new chief minister, the third woman chief minister of Tamil Nadu following in the footsteps of her close friend and companion for over three decades, J Jayalalithaa.

Today’s AIADMK legislative party meeting ended all speculations over the impending elevation of Sasikala by electing her as the legislative party leader, shortly after chief minister O Panneerselvam announced that he was stepping down to make way for Chinnamma.

Speculation was rife in political circles since yesterday that Sasikala was indeed stepping in to replace O Pannerselvam just when he was beginning to earn a good name for himself as a chief minister in action and one who was accessible to the people.

His fault that his recent success scared some AIADMK leaders that he might well get entrenched, what with the perception that he was having the blessings of the BJP and prime minister Narendra Modi. This was seen behind his success in Jallikattu, something that even Jayalalithaa failed to achieve.

Pressure was mounting on OPS to quit and it began showing too.

Sunday morning began with the arrival of all the MLAs for the emergency meeting convened by the general secretary. Though officially there was no intimation, but unofficially sources had leaked out the real agenda – ouster of OPS and elevation of Chinamma.

Several AIADMK friendly journalists and advocates were declaring on television that Sasikala indeed would be the next chief minister, within a few days. In fact, they were even speaking of a muhurtam on either 6th or the 9th.

Now after her election as legislative party leader Sasikala insisted that it was OPS who asked her to take the reins just like when he pleaded her to become the general secretary of the party following the demise of AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa last December.

Sasikala would call on Tamil Nadu governor C Vidyasagar Rao and submit the party decision and stake claim. According to senior AIADMK leaders, the swearing in of Sasikala as the third woman chief minister of the state on February 9.

After her election as legislative party leader, Sasikala said that she will work for the welfare of the people of Tamil Nadu and carry forward the programmes and policies of Amma.

Addressing the party MLAs, Sasikala said, “following the demise of our Honourable Amma (AIADMK address Jayalalithaa as Amma) ,it was Thiru. O.Paneerselvam who urged me first to take charge as the GS (general secretary) of AIADMK. It was Thiru.O. Paneerselvam who insisted first, that I become the Chief Minister of the State.

OPS may be given the post of deputy chief minister, sources said.

In fact, the hurry for the leadership change in AIADMK was explained by a political analyst that OPS, as the former chief minister is fondly referred to, was becoming popular as also was accessible to the people. It was perhaps feared that he might outgrow his stature if allowed to continue for a longer duration.

Panneerselvam began gaining popularity too.

Sasikala, who is not a member of the assembly at present, will have to become a member within six months. Party sources are indicating that she might contest from Madurai region.

Among the prominent AIADMK leaders in the forefront of seeking Sasikala’s elevation as the chief minister was the Lok Sabha deputy speaker, M Thambidurai. The argument is that a dual power centre structure in a regional party like AIADMK does not work and the election of Sasikala as the chief minister restores the old structure of the party.

DMK expressed shock over the decision and Jayalalithaa’s niece described it as something akin to military coup. Both alleged that Sasikala was not a democratically elected leader.

DMK working president said that the people had not voted household members of Jayalalithaa to power and his party described Sunday as a dark day in Indian democracy.

The DMK will move the peoples’ court, he and his party leaders said.

“Sasikala is facing a legal hurdle. If she is convicted there will be another turmoil for Tamil Nadu. Panneerselvam is doing a good job as the chief minister, then why change him,” questioned A Sarvanan, DMK spokesperson.

Karti P Chidambaram, congress leader and son of former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram, said in a tweet demanded the dissolution of the assembly.

BJP state unit chief Tamilsai Soundarrajan said it is not peoples choice.