President Maithripala Sirisena has consented to a request by former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s close aide, V.K. Sasikala, to allow 100 Indian fishermen to attend a festival at the newly built Church in Kachchathivu islet, the Times of India reported yesterday. The paper termed the news as the first political achievement by Sasikala since the request was not made through the office of the Chief Minister O. Paneerselvam who has the tough job of imitating his predecessor Jeyaram Jayalalitha, a charismatic goddess like figure, revered by her supporters. According to the paper, only 20 fishermen were initially allowed to attend the consecration ceremony of the St. Anthony’s Church in Katchachathivu.
When Minister of Livestock and Rural Development Arumugam Thondaman and his nephew Uva Province Chief Minister Senthil Thondaman delivered a message of condolence by the President a day after the funeral of former Chief Minister, Sasikala had made the request over the Katchathivu feast. President Sirisena had agreed in a gesture of goodwill, the paper said quoting Senthil Thondaman.