In TN, all eyes on Raj Bhavan now
A day after Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam revolted against the ruling AIADMK leadership, the battle lines were drawn in the rival camps with a majority of legislators, MPs and party office-bearers rallying behind general secretary V.K. Sasikala, and the former drawing support from five legislators, a Rajya Sabha MP and some former ministers and functionaries.
Separately, Mr. Panneerselvam announced that he would institute a judicial inquiry headed by a sitting judge of the Madras High Court to probe into the treatment administered to former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.
After a meeting of the AIADMK legislators at the party office, the Sasikala camp herded its MLAs, numbering over 125, in a luxury bus and took them to the house of Public Works Department Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Greenways Road.
In the evening, the legislators and party MPs were taken to the Chennai airport to be flown to New Delhi and ostensibly paraded before the President Pranab Mukherjee. However, shortly before they could board their flights, they were asked to return after it became known that Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao would be returning to Chennai from Mumbai on Thursday evening.
While the Sasikala camp claimed that 130 of the 135 AIADMK legislators had attended the meeting chaired by her, Mr. Panneerselvam who initially had the support of just two MLAs, later received the backing of three other legislators as the day progressed.
Will win floor test: CM
Claiming that more legislators were in touch with him, the Chief Minister said he was confident of proving his majority on the floor of the Legislative Assembly.
“The MLAs are in touch with me,” he said, adding, “I appeal to all the MLAs. They must understand and reflect what people think and feel in their respective constituencies. Everything has a limit. If things cross a limit, MLAs have to reflect the people’s sentiments. If not, it will be a betrayal of people’s trust.” He also invited Jayalalithaa’s niece Deepa Jayakumar to join him.
He also challenged Ms. Sasikala’s appointment as the party’s general secretary. “According to the party’s constitution, only the party cadres can vote and elect a ‘General Secretary’. If there is an extraordinary situation and the party is forced to elect a general secretary, then the executive and general body can select a temporary general secretary until a permanent general secretary is elected. This is the law,” he said.
Categorically denying the allegations that he is acting against the party’s high command at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre, he said the AIADMK will speak against the Centre if the State’s rights are denied.
“No matter who is ruling at the Centre, the AIADMK will speak against it when the State’s rights are being denied. We will support the Centre if it supports us,” he said. He underlined that the support is not for an individual named O. Panneerselvam, but for the State government. Talking about how former chief minister Jayalalithaa acknowledged his rise from the grassroots, he said, “She also appointed me as a CM twice. I have never betrayed Jayalalithaa or the party.”
(legislative member ) சசிகலா அவர்கள் உறுப்பினராக இல்லை.
ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது. இந்திய அரசியலமைப்பு சட்டத்தில் ஆளுநர், குறிப்பிட்ட நாளுக்குள் சட்டம், முதல்வர் தேர்வு உள்ளிட்டவைகளுக்கு நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும் என்று குறிப்பிடப்படவில்லை. 
மீன் சாப்பிட்டால் ஆபத்தா?
போயஸ்கார்டனில் அவர் இருந்தவரை உடன் இருந்து சிகிச்சை செய்தவர் டாக்டர் சிவக்குமார். சசிகலாவின் அண்ணன் மருமகன். பிளாஸ்டிக் சர்ஜனான இவர், அப்போலோ மருத்துவமனையில் பணிபுரிகிறார்.
