All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary V K Sasikala yesterday staked her claim to form the government in Tamil Nadu during her meeting with Governor C Vidyasagar Rao, the party said.
According to a tweet by AIADMK, Sasikala met Rao and handed him the letters of support given by her party legislators. She was accompanied by senior ministers.
Before going to Raj Bhavan, Sasikala went to J Jayalalithaa’s memorial at Marina beach and paid homage there.
She also kept a large sized envelope there as a mark of seeking the late chief minister Jayalalithaa’s blessings.
Earlier in the evening, Tamil Nadu’s acting chief minister O Panneerselvam met Rao.
Speaking to reporters after meeting Rao at 5pm Panneerselvam said: “I met the Governor and briefed him about the happenings in the state.”
“Justice will win,” he declared.
Meanwhile a former party parliamentarian yesterday said the AIADMK is now under the control of Panneerselvam.
K C Palaniswamy claimed that with the coming together of Panneerselvam and party presidium chairman E Madhusudanan, the party was now effectively out of the clutches of Sasikala.
Earlier, Madhusudanan came to Panneerselvam’s residence and extended support to him.
“Now the holders of the top two party posts have joined together. The party is under their control,” Palaniswamy said, adding that all party members and legislators would have to obey their directions.
He said the party can now issue a party Whip on the manner in which the legislators have to vote or the party could also replace the Whip.
Queried about the dismissal of Panneerselvam as party Treasurer by Sasikala, he said: “An interim general secretary has no power to dismiss anybody.”
According to him Panneerselvam’s support base was growing. Already five legislators have extended their support to Panneerselvam and more are expected to join.
Former electricity minister Natham Viswanathan, former speaker P H Pandian, his son former MP Manoj Pandian, senior leader K P Munusamy and others have extended their support to Panneerselvam.
The Panneerselvam camp is hoping to prove its strength on the floor of the house.
“If there is time, then the party can now declare elections for the post of general secretary and a person could be elected unopposed,” an AIADMK leader said.
AIADMK leader and former Tamil Nadu chief minister O Panneerselvam attends a press conference in Chennai yesterday.
