Chennai: In a major boost to the ruling All India Anna Dravida Kazhagam (AIADMK) in Tamil Nadu, the federal government on January 10 caved in to their demands and declared Pongal festival as a compulsory holiday.

According to the AIADMK official Twitter handle, party general secretary V K Sasikala had urged the Central Government to roll back the announcement of Pongal as restricted holiday.

“Following the efforts taken by the general secretary of AIADMK respected Chinnamma, who in her statement urged the Central Government to roll back the announcement of Pongal as restricted holidays, the Central Government has today declared the festival as compulsory holiday. Tamil speaking people across the globe thanked, respected Chinnamma profusely for her efforts and said the good governance of Amma is still continuing,” it said.

This development comes a day after Central Government changed the status of the Pongal holidays from compulsory to restricted, reported Deccan Chronicle.

On January 9, Sasikala had termed the Centre’s move to convert the Pongal holiday into a restricted one as a “big shock”, following which she urged the Centre to review its decision.