VK Sasikala hits back, O Panneerselvam digs in

Chennai: Exuding confidence that she would be sworn in as the next chief minister of Tamil Nadu, AIADMK general secretary V.K. Sasikala on Wednesday lashed out at caretaker CM O. Panneerselvam, accusing him of being a “traitor who betrayed the party.”

On another day of fast-paced political activities, she addressed a meeting of party MLAs at AIADMK headquarters. A major part of her flock of MLAs was whisked away from there to secret locations to prevent any of them from switching loyalties. 

Governor Vidyasagar Rao is likely return to Chennai on Thursday. His absence triggered speculation whether he had reservations on installing Ms Sasikala, the leader of AIADMK legislators in the Assembly, as the new CM.

The caretaker CM, who was removed as AIADMK treasurer by the party chief late Tuesday night, said he would prove his strength in the Assembly. “We welcome all support. A government desired by the people will be formed in the state,” he said. 

K. Manickam was the first MLA to side with OPS. Former Speaker P.H. Pandian, who attacked Ms Sasikala Tuesday, and Rajya Sabha MP V. Maitreyan met OPS.

An unperturbed party chief appeared on a Tamil channel to rebut a lot of what OPS had said in the course of his revelations at former CM Jayalalithaa’s memorial on Tuesday night. She asserted that AIADMK members had asked her to lead them.

On Mr. Panneerselvam’s accusation that he was forced to resign, she said, “On February 5, the MLAs elected me as their leader, the records are available. After that, in the evening, I went to the governor’s office. I was told that he had gone to Ooty. So all MLAs were with me at the time. We faxed a letter from all the MLAs with their signatures.” 

“He is a traitor who betrayed the AIADMK. He is being backed by the DMK, which wants to destroy the AIADMK. The manner in which Panneerselvam behaves in the Assembly, it seems he is one of them (DMK),” she said in her takedown of his actions.

On Mr. Panneerselvam’s announcement on recommending an inquiry commission under a sitting Supreme Court judge to probe “doubts” over the health condition and demise of Jayalalithaa, Ms. Sasikala said that she was not afraid of any kind of investigation.

“I feel deeply saddened when a person, who was there in the hospital for 75 days, was questioned. Everything went well in the hospital. On her last day, she even watched serials on Jaya TV. Jayalalithaa used to love old songs. I used to record songs for her. O. Panneerselvam has betrayed Amma. Again these people are going to their old ways. We are not bothered,” she said.

“I have spent 33 years in this house with Amma. The party cadres know how I looked after her and worked for her. The news was deliberately planted by someone on Amma’s health condition. The doctors and hospital employees will testify how I took care of Amma. Only I know the grief and pain I had to go through,” she said.