Tamil Nadu's 'CM In Waiting' Sasikala Accuses Governor Of Purposely Delaying Her Swearing In

With governor C Vidyasagar Rao's visit to Chennai remaining uncertain even three days after she became leader of the legislature party, AIADMK general secretary V K Sasikala alleged on Wednesday that her swearing-in as chief minister was being deliberately delayed by the governor.

BCCL

Ministers and MLAs who were to leave for New Delhi to seek President Pranab Mukherjee's intervention have been told to drop their plan at the eleventh hour after they were informed that the governor was scheduled to arrive in the city by noon on Thursday.

However, party MPs have arrived in Delhi, apparently to attend the last day of the Parliament session.

Hours after caretaker chief minister O Panneerselvam made sensational allegations against Sasikala, the close-confidante of late CM Jayalalithaa, told media persons at her Poes Garden residence that she saw the DMK's hand in OPS's revolt. She paraded more than 120 MLAs at a legislature party meeting at the party headquarters on Thursday and said no one would be able to split the party.

BCCL

"Betrayals never win. It cannot win the AIADMK at all," she said, accusing Pannerselvam of aiding the DMK's plot. She said the caretaker CM was a liar for allegating that that "he was forced to resign" to pave the way for her to become CM.

Also Read:?Trouble Mounts For Sasikala Ahead Of Swearing In, Jayalalithaa's Niece, AIADMK Founding Leader Opposes Her

Even as senior ministers and MLAs dropped in at 10am, the scheduled time, Sasikala arrived in 90 minutes later. At that time, Panneerselvam was addressing the media at his Greenways Road residence. She sought to remind the MLAs that it was OPS who proposed her name as the legislature party leader.

AP

"He sat next to me and spoke. If he lied after 48 hours, what had happened in the meantime? Whom did he hold discussions with? As DMK's Duraimurugan spoke in the assembly (extending open support to OPS to complete his full term), was there any other means that were exchanged? Was he lured?" Sasikala asked"

Also Read: Tamil Nadu Trouble Continues As Panneerselvam Revolts Against Sasikala, Stakes Claim At CM Post

Interestingly, both Sasikala and other AIADMK leaders like Lok Sabha deputy speaker M Thambidurai have exonerated the Centre from the charge of influencing OPS. They assert the plot was scripted by none other than Stalin and the DMK.