Two days after VS Sasikala was elected AIADMK Legislature Party leader, paving the way for her appointment as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, senior AIADMK leader and former Assembly Speaker PH Pandian strongly opposed her anointment, saying she does not ‘deserve to either be the party chief or Chief Minister’.
Pandian claimed that within 20 days of the demise of Jayalalithaa, party leaders were ‘made to say that they wanted Sasikala to be the party chief’.
"Sasikala does not deserve to be either the party supremo or the Chief Minister," Pandian told reporters here today.
“It was against party rules. Only cadres can elect the general secretary," he added.
Referring to late Jayalalithaa's properties, Pandian claimed that in 1996, Jayalalithaa had made a public declaration that all her properties should go to the people.
Explaining party rules in detail, Manoj Pandian, son of PH Pandian, said that Sasikala's elevation as party chief was improper and it went against party norms.
Manoj claimed that in 2011, when Sasikala was readmitted into the party after being expelled, Jayalalithaa had told him that ‘she will not involve her in politics’.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Governor C Vidya Sagar Rao, who also holds the charge of Tamil Nadu, is likely to fly to Chennai today or tomorrow, amid political developments in the southern state where O Panneerselvam has been replaced by Sasikala.
"Governor may leave for Chennai today or tomorrow," Raj Bhavan sources told PTI.
The prospects of Sasikala's immediate swearing-in as Chief Minister faded with Rao heading to Mumbai last night from New Delhi, instead of flying to Chennai, amid reports that he was seeking legal advice before administering the oath of office to Sasikala.
The Supreme Court had yesterday indicated it could deliver a judgement soon in a disproportionate assets case against Sasikala, who became general secretary of AIADMK after the death of Jayalalithaa.
A conviction after being sworn in could result in Sasikala having to step down as Chief Minister.
