Live
- Vishwak Sen Shares His Disappointment After Shraddha Srinath Turned Down His Offer
- AP Chambers to organise 3-day Business Expo-2024
- Gold rates in Delhi today surged, check the rates on 15 November, 2024
- Collector Prasanthi emphasises transparency in sand supply
- Don’t be fooled by brokers, MLA advises farmers
- Gold rates in Visakhapatnam today surges, check the rates on 15 November, 2024
- Tirupati: Student commits suicide
- Lenovo launches high-end tablet K11
- Tirupati: Two women die in accident
- Vaishnaoi launches new realty project
Panneer camp swells as Sasi awaits Governor invite
As the Raj Bhavan continues with its wait-and-watch approach, the momentum in the struggle for power in Tamil Nadu seemed titling towards ‘caretaker’ Chief Minister O Panneerselvam on Saturday with three top party leaders and two MPs switching over to his side from rival VK Sasikala camp.
Chennai: As the Raj Bhavan continues with its wait-and-watch approach, the momentum in the struggle for power in Tamil Nadu seemed titling towards ‘caretaker’ Chief Minister O Panneerselvam on Saturday with three top party leaders and two MPs switching over to his side from rival VK Sasikala camp.
There were reports that Sasikala may not be averse to relinquishing her claim to the CM’s post and instead nominate senior leaders Edapady Palaniswami or KA Sengottiyan to the post.
Sasikala drove into the Golden Bay resorts on the outskirts of Chennai, where around 129 MLAs of the party are being “kept”.
“AIADMK MLAs are strong. Felt like meeting family members when I met them. I think delaying decision (on inviting us to form the government) is an attempt to divide the party," says Sasikala after meeting the party MLAs at the resort.
After meeting the legislators supporting her, Sasikala threatened to hold protests on Sunday against the delay in swearing her in as the Chief Minister.
"We were patient, tomorrow we will protest," she said. Earlier in the day, she wrote a letter to Governor Vidyasagar Rao, asking him to take steps immediately to swear her in at the earliest.
She said she was ready to parade the party MLAs supporting her before him.Speaking about his choice, Sengottiyan himself came out of the resort on Saturday evening after a meeting of Sasikala and the MLAs, and clarified that there was no such move. “Only Chinnamma can be our Chief Minster, and no one else,” he said.
Political commentators interpreted the move as a last-ditch effort to stop the steady flow of leaders from her camp to that of Panneerselvam.
Education minister Mafoi Pandyarajan who until Friday was spearheading the Sasikala camp strategy set the theme for Saturday when he drove into the residence of Panneerselvam on Saturday afternoon pledging his support. AIADMK founding member C Ponnaiyan followed him and there were reports that Fisheries Minister D Jayapal too has pledged his support.
Pandirajan addressed the media and cadre at Panneerselvam’s residence. “As a CM, Panneerselvam has performed well and he has a lot of ground support. All MLAs will vote for him,” he said, demanding a floor test in the Assembly. “We have support of 135 MLAs,” he claimed.
Earlier, two AIADMK Lok Sabha MPs PR Sundaram and K Ashok Kumar extended their support to Panneerselvam.
The Sasikala camp has written another letter to the Governor seeking an appointment saying she would like to meet Ch Vidyasagar Rao along with party MLAs regarding “further course of action to form the government”.
The power struggle simmering inside AIADMK after the passing away of J Jayalalithaa came into the open early this week when Panneerselvam dramatically revolted against ‘Chinnamma’ Sasikala who had been elected as the legislature party leader.
