TN Guv to reach Chennai on Thursday as Sasikala herds MLAs

Tamil Nadu Governor C Vidyasagar Rao will reach in Chennai on Thursday, triggering speculation about whether he will swear-in VK Sasikala after she mustered an overwhelming majority of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MLAs against a rebellious O Panneerselvam, who claimed he has their backing.

Rao, who had kept away from Chennai for the last three days triggering speculation whether he had reservations on swearing-in Sasikala, will reach on Thursday afternoon but there was no word on what he plans to do.

Jurists were divided on whether Sasikala, against whose acquittal in a disproportionate assets case the Supreme Court is likely to deliver its verdict next week, can be sworn-in.

After Panneerselvam's midnight rebellion, Sasikala called a meeting of party MLAs at the AIADMK headquarters in a show of strength on Wednesday morning and later herded them in buses to undisclosed destination in a bid to keep the flock together.

There were unconfirmed reports that the AIADMK would even parade the MLAs before the President if the Governor delays the swearing-in of Sasikala.

In an act of defiance, Panneerselvam said an inquiry commission under a sitting Supreme Court judge will be set up to probe the "doubts" surrounding the health condition and demise of Jayalalithaa.

Addressing the legislators, Sasikala, who had sacked Panneerselvam from the post of treasurer on Tuesday night, launched a no-holds-barred attack on him, saying he had betrayed the party and "fully merged" with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam which Jayalalithaa had fought all her life.

She claimed that she had got wind of his moves a few days ago itself and asserted that the party remains united and will not be cowed down by such threats.

Accusing arch rival DMK of trying to destabilise the party, Sasikala said "betrayal" will never win in the AIADMK and that no one will be able to divide the party.

Panneerselvam, who was chosen by Jayalalithaa as stop-gap chief minister when she had to quit twice due to adverse court verdicts, maintained that he enjoyed support of majority of MLAs and would prove it on the floor of the house at an appropriate time.

"The ministers and MLAs who area now with the other side will soon realise the reality and the current extraordinary situation will change," he said, an apparent reference to the ministers rallying behind Sasikala.

Former Speaker P H Pandian, who attacked Sasikala on Tuesday, and senior Rajya Sabha member Dr V Maitreyan on Wednesday showed up at the chief minister's residence in a show of solidarity.

Panneerselvam also dismissed accusation by Sasikala that he was colluding with the DMK and by others that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP were backing him.

He said he was in touch with no one and that he did not need support of either the DMK or the BJP.

The chief minister said the stand he has taken enjoyed wide public support as the people want a "good and deserving" person on the post.

Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai rejected Panneerselvam's claims and said that the party had all the 134 MLAs with it.

"We are united. There is no dispute or difference," he said.

On his part, DMK Working President MK Stalin said his party had nothing to with "internal squabbles" in AIADMK and accused Sasikala of making false allegations after failing to become chief minister through a "short cut".

AIADMK spokesperson C R Saraswathi claimed 131 out of 133 MLAs attended Wednesday’s meeting chaired by Sasikala.

She said ‘true AIADMK supporters’ will not desert the party as they are ‘Amma’s loyalists’ and asserted that Sasikala will take over as chief minister.

“As far as we are concerned, about 131 MLAs have come here (party headquarters). We are Amma (Jayalalithaa) loyalists. How can we leave? Chinnamma (Sasikala) will come as chief minister,” she said.

She was responding to reporters’ queries on Panneerselvam stating he would prove his majority in the assembly.

“How could those marching towards Panneerselvam camp be construed as genuine AIADMK members as one could even obtain membership online,” she said.

Tracing the history of AIADMK, post the death of its founder MG Ramachandran, Saraswathi said some even joined the faction led by his widow Janaki but it was Jayalalithaa who united the party and led it to its glory.

“We all want to take forward the task carried out by Amma. Those who treat Amma as God, the leader (party chief) as God and those who equate the party to their life-- none of them have deserted the party,” she said.

“True supporters will remain steadfast at Poes Garden. Nobody can split or destroy our party. This is a supporters’ movement,” she said.

Saraswathi also said it was desirable to have a woman replace Jayalaithaa as chief minister as the late leader had delivered a lot of welfare measures for them.

Castigating Panneerselvam for his alleged Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam links, she said MGR had founded the AIADMK against that very party.

“The DMK and the AIADMK are poles apart. Durai Murugan (DMK leader) was supporting Panneerselvam (in the assembly),” she said.

Backing Sasikala for the state’s top executive post, Saraswathi said ‘give time for any person to prove her capability’.

“She had been with Amma for 33 years, she knows how to run the party and government,” she added.

Meanwhile, the Congress alleged that the BJP is trying to fish in troubled waters of Tamil Nadu and instructing the governor to not go to the state.

“I must say it is extremely wrong, unconstitutional and patently illegal on the part of the BJP and the central government to fish in the troubled waters of Tamil Nadu,” Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said.

However, Union minister Venkaiah Naidu asserted that the Centre or the BJP has no role in ‘internal matters’ of the AIADMK and that the governor will take a decision in line with the Constitution to resolve the issue.

As the political drama unfolded, AIADMK supporters from across the state thronged the residence of Panneerselvam to express solidarity with him.

Several cadres were seen visiting his house at Greenways Road, a prominent location in the city, where several ministers and government officials stay, since Tuesday night.

They raised slogans hailing ‘Amma’ (Jayalalithaa) and vowed they will never call anyone as ‘chinnamma’ (referring to Sasikala).

Posters and placards with messages like ‘Save AIADMK party. Make OPS as CM’, donned the area. Another poster read ‘with blessings of Amma, let's make OPS as the General Secretary.'

Whenever there was an entry by a prominent person, the supporters would break into slogans 'OPS vaazhga, OPS vaazhga (long live OPS).'

Former Electricity Minister 'Natham' Viswanathan, actor and director K Bhagyaraj were among those who met Panneerselvam.

IMAGE: V K Sasikala flashes victory sign after attending the party MLAs' meeting in Chennai. Photograph: PTI Photo