AIADMK is celebrating the birth centenary of former TN CM Janaki Ramachandran

Chennai: The AIADMK in Tamil Nadu on Sunday celebrated the birth centenary of former Chief Minister Janaki Ramachandran, wife of late party founder MG Ramachandran, here.

Janaki was the first woman chief minister of Tamil Nadu, who briefly led the state in January 1988 after the death of her husband and then CM Ramachandran, popularly addressed as MGR.

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami led the celebrations at a wedding hall in the city. Dozens of leaders and celebrities, including actor Rajinikanth and DMDK general secretary Premalatha Vijayakant, paid rich tributes to the late Janaki.

Palaniswami opened a photo exhibition on the occasion.

Janaki Ramachandran, a yesteryear actor, was sworn in as CM of the state after MGR’s death in December 1987, even as the party had split into two factions. The respective factions were led by Janaki and late CM J Jayalalithaa.

However, in 1989, she buried her differences with Jayalalithaa and handed over the leadership of the AIADMK to her.

Recalling this episode, Rajinkanth said in a video message played at the venue that Janaki told Jayalalithaa that she was the one who was able to take the AIADMK forward and handed over the party to her and later stayed away from politics.