In a massive setback to AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala’s bid to become Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Governor C Vidyasagar Rao on Friday submitted in three-page report to the Home Ministry that it would be imprudent to invite her to form a Government. He cited the pending Supreme Court’s decision in the disproportionate assets case against her.
More importantly, the Governor said O Panneerselvam (OPS) resigned under duress from the post of Chief Minister. The statement paves the way for OPS to continue as CM without the need to prove majority on the floor of the Assembly.
Meanwhile, the feud in Tamil Nadu’s ruling party got escalated on Friday as Sasikala axed E Madhusudanan, the party’s presidium chairman for anti-party activities and appointed KS Sengottaiyan in his place.
Sending a strong message to her detractors, Sasikala urged the party workers not to have any truck with Madhusudanan and said they should extend their cooperation to Sengottaiyan.
Madhusudanan retaliated within minutes by removing Sasikala from the post of general secretary and writing to the Election Commission to restraint “Chinnamma” from functioning as general secretary.
“As per party by-laws, a general secretary can be elected only by cadres. As per rules, there is no temporary general secretary post,” Madhusudanan said.
A candidate to the general secretary’s post should also have completed at least five years in the party.
“Since Sasikala re-joined the AIADMK only on March 31, 2012, she does not qualify to become the general secretary. I have requested the Election Commission (in the letter) not to accept her appointment,” he said.
“The party cadre will elect a new general secretary shortly,” Madhusudanan told reporters on Friday.
In more support to Panneerselvam, AIADMK leader E Ponnusamy on Friday joined his camp, and urged the party MlAs to back him.
Speaking after extending support to the Chief Minister, he said Panneerselvam had been identified by former party supremo J Jayalalithaa and appealed to the AIADMK MlAs to extend their support to him.
Meanwhile, Governor C Vidyasagar Rao on Friday summoned Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan, Director General of Police TK Rajendran and Chennai City Police Commissioner S George to Raj Bhavan and asked them for updates on the law and order situation in the State. The Governor summoning top officials is seen as the fallout of a complaint by SP Shanmuganathan who jumped out of the bus in which the AIADMK MlAs were being ferried out to an unknown destination on Thursday.
The MlA who had accompanied Chief Minister Panneerselvam to the Raj Bhavan on Thursday evening had narrated his “harrowing” experiences in the party head quarters and the bus.