Top AIADMK leader backs OPS, says he is the real leader

Another 30 party MLAs are in another resort at Poonthandalam near Kalpakkam.

“AIADMK legislator V Maithreyan ailed Panneerselvam as Jayalalithaa’s successor and said what began as a “silent meditation” had now led to an uprising”. She was accompanied by senior AIADMK leaders.

The governor of Tamil Nadu will now have to take a call on whether to ask Mr Panneerselvam to show his support, or swear in Sasikala as the next chief minister.

Rao is the Governor of Maharashtra and holds additional charge of Tamil Nadu. This means the process of swearing-in of Sasikala would set in motion by Thursday evening.

K.C. Palaniswamy said that with the coming together of Panneerselvam and party Presidium Chairman E. Madhusudanan, the party was now effectively out of the clutches of interim General Secretary V.K. Sasikala.

His stand on his resignation contradicted Sasikala’s claim that it was Panneerselvam who wanted her to become the Chief Minister. She urged the party members not to have any truck with Madhusudanan. Cracks have begun appearing in the AIADMK and efforts are on to break the ranks of the MLAs who are with Sasikala.

This would also remove any concerns that Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao may have about the stability of the government.

O Panneerselvam, who had taken over after her death, resigned on Sunday.

On Wednesday, Sasikala had alleged that her swearing-in ceremony which was scheduled for today was being deliberately delayed by the Governor.

On Wednesday, the AIADMK lawmakers had been herded in luxury buses and taken to several resorts including Golden Bay so they can not be found and “poached” in a move questioned by many. “People who think they can separate our party that has 1.5 crore people will only face defeat”, Sasikala said.

Sasikala Natarajan didn’t allow O Panneerselvam to work freely, this is what DMK has been telling and same has been said by OPS: MK Stalin. “Is it such a crime to smile?”

The caretaker Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam started off a signature campaign to turn Jayalalithaa’s “Veda Nilayam” into a memorial. We are confident that MLAs will join us when it is time to prove the majority in the House.

“Since we believe in justice and democracy, we are little patient”.