All eyes on TN governor as Sasikala's CM dream may hinge on SC verdict

Governor might wait till the Supreme Court delivers its judgment on the illegal assets case

Amidst political confusion over who is going to form the government in Tamil Nadu,  the state's acting Governor Vidayasagar Rao is expected to reach Chennai on Thursday afternoon.

All eyes are on the acting Governor's next move. Will he ask caretaker Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, who alleged that he was forced to quit on Sunday by AIADMK General Secretary V K Sasikala, to prove his majority or will he meet MLAs of AIADMK and Sasikala, who was chosen by her party MLAs as the Chief Minister?

A political analyst also said that the Governor might wait till the Supreme Court delivers its judgment in the illegal assets case, in which Sasikala is also a party. 

It may be noted, Sasikala and AIADMK members have been alleging that the Governor is deliberately abstaining from his visit to Chennai and delaying Sasikala taking the oath.

On Wednesday, at the party's MLAs meeting it was decided to take all the MLAs, who have kept in two resorts on the East Coast Road, which has come under AIADMK security, on the outskirts of  Chennai and to show the power in front of the President of India in Delhi while appealing to interfere in the issue and asking to instruct the Governor to meet the party leaders. These MLAs are expected to be brought after Governor reaches Chennai.

But as the news broke in the late evening that the Governor is expected to reach Chennai on Thursday noon this plan was changed while a 20-member team led by Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker Thambidurai left Chennai to meet the President.

AIADMK said that on Wednesday, 129 MLAs, of the 134 MLAs have participated in the meeting. Meanwhile, Panneerselvam claimed that he can prove the majority if the Governor asks him to do so and he also claimed that he had enough AIADMK MLAs support. However, only six MLAs have expressed their support to him on Wednesday.

Panneerselvam ruled out taking the support of non-AIADMK MLAs to become the chief minister. While claiming that he continues to be the chief minister and treasurer of AIADMK, it may be noted he was dismissed as the treasurer of the party on Tuesday after a press conference.

Reports have also said that he instructed the Karur Vysya Bank and Bank of India branches in Mylapore, where AIADMK has an account, to seize any party-related transactions. He gave the instruction as a treasurer of the Party and said that the post of General Secretary is vacant, as it was not filled as per the rules under the by-law of the party.

While Panneerselvam has garnered support from the public and party cadres, Sasikala continues to get support from the Party MLAs and MPs, and others like BJP leader Subramaniyan Swami.

Swami said Sasikala has the right to become Chief Minister as per the constitution. He added he is the one who filed the case against Sasikala.