The World - News from Jan. 4, 1988

The widow of Indian film idol and politician M. G. Ramachandran has been chosen to succeed her husband as chief minister of India’s key southern state of Tamil Nadu, the United News of India reported. Janaki Ramachandran will be sworn in on Thursday, according to State Gov. S. L. Khurana, who said he made the appointment conditional on her being able to show within three weeks that she will have a majority in the state assembly. She has been battling former actress Jayalalitha for the leadership of the All India Dravidian Progressive Federation since her husband, known by his initials as M.G.R., died Dec. 24. Tamil Nadu under M. G. Ramachandran was Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s only ally in the south, despite Ramachandran’s support for Tamil rebels in Sri Lanka.