In a move which took Tamil Nadu and the country by surprise, Vivekanandan Krishnaveni Sasikala, close aide to former Chief Minister late J Jayalalithaa, was elected as the leader of the AIADMK legislature party, which met at Chennai on Sunday paving the way for her swearing-in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
However, there is some confusion about the day on which Chinnamma would be sworn in as Chief Minister. According to party sources, she may be sworn-in either on Tuesday or Thursday. Vidyasagar Rao, who is officiating as Governor of Tamil Nadu in addition to his responsibilities as Governor of Maharashtra, is not expected in Chennai before Tuesday.
Chief Minister O Panneerselvam (66) handed over his resignation to Sasikala in the meeting of the MlAs, which was held at the party headquarters. Panneerselvam was sworn-in as Chief Minister in the early hours of December 6, 2016 following the demise of Jayalalithaa at a corporate hospital in Chennai.
“I feel humbled to be elected as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. I will work for the implementation of the schemes initiated by late Amma (read Jayalalithaa). This is an unexpected development as Panneerselvam has been forcing me to take over as the Chief Minister of the State since the passing away of Amma,” Sasikala told the legislature party members after her unanimous election as leader.
Sasikala (62) was elevated as the general secretary of the party in the general council meeting of the AIADMK held on December 29.
Sasikala is not a member of the legislative Assembly and has to get elected as MlA within the next six months. It is rumoured in party circles that Chinnamma (as she is addressed by party cadre) will contest the byelection from RK Nagar Assembly constituency, which was represented by late Jayalalithaa.
Most AIADMK leaders pointed out that the precedence in the party was that the same person should hold the posts of general secretary as well as that of the Chief Minister. Many top leaders of the party, including Thambi Durai, the Deputy Speaker of the lok Sabha, had pleaded with Sasikala to take over the post of Chief Minister as she only could lead the party and the Government with élan.
Though it was known that Sasikala would take over as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, no one expected it to happen so soon and so fast.
The general impression was that she may wait for the Supreme Court’s verdict on the disproportionate asset case in which she is the second accused along with her niece Elavarasi and nephew Sudhakaran. But the developments of the last couple of weeks like the Jallikkattu agitation might have hastened her ascension to the throne.
Reacting to fast political development in the AIDMK, leader of the Opposition and working president of the DMK MK Stalin, “This is a fraud committed on the people of Tamil Nadu by the AIADMK leaders.” Speaking to reporters at Chennai, Stalin pointed out that late Jayalalithaa had never given Sasikala any posts either in the party or the Government.
“When Jayalalithaa had to vacate the post of Chief Minister following court verdicts in 2001 and 2014, she had handpicked Panneerselvam to be the Chief Minister. Even when she was battling for her life, she had chosen Panneerselvam as her second-in-command,” said Stalin. The DMK leader said his party would face the situation arising out of this change of guard in a democratic manner.
EVKS Elangovan, senior Congress leader, described the decision of AIADMK to elevate Sasikala as Chief Minister as a black day in Tamil Nadu’s political history. “The disintegration of the AIADMK had begun. The party leaders, MlAs and MPs may be with Sasikala. But the party cadre will not accept this decision and it will be reflected in the by-poll as well as the election to the local bodies,” said Elangovan.