Sasikala asks gov to hurry as four MPs join OPS

Chennai: AIADMK chief Sasikala urged Tamil Nadu governor C. Vidyasagar Rao on Saturday to take “immediate steps” to swear her in as chief minister, declared that “we can be patient only to a limit”, and met party MLAs kept at a luxury resort outside Chennai.

Her actions came on a day when support for acting chief minister O. Panneerselvam — locked in a bitter power struggle with her — swirled with a state minister, four party MPs and a string of senior leaders joining his camp on Saturday.

Late in the evening, the Chennai police increased patrolling “to maintain peace and public order and prevent movement and influx of anti-socials” in the city.

Those who backed Mr Panneerselvam on Saturday were school education minister “MaFoi” Pandiarajan, former minister M.M. Rajendra Prasad, four Lok Sabha members — Ashok Kumar, P.R. Sundaram, V. Sathyabama and Vanaroja — and senior party leader and spokesperson C. Ponnaiyan. Mr Ponnaiyan said, “Panneerselvam was chosen by Jayalalithaa herself… he is the true successor.”

Mr Panneerselvam and Ms Sasikala are fighting a succession war after then CM J. Jayalalithaa died of illness in December, 2016.