Despite all sides being at last present in Chennai, suspense continues Both OPS, Sasikala have staked a claim to form a government. However, no news has come out so far as to what the future will hold.
In Tamil Nadu, nearly every side - save for the AIADMK - have been asked if they are providing support to rebel interim CM O Panneerselvam. And while there is plenty of moral support, so far no major faction has confirmed support of any kind. This has kept the situation unbalanced as well.
The biggest allegations, obviously, are against the DMK. VK Sasikala, the general secretary of the AIADMK and the CM hopeful, has repeatedly claimed that the DMK is behind the whole 'conspiracy' of Panneerselvam's rebellion.
DMK working president M K Stalin today denied that his party has offered support to Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and asserted that an 'appropriate decision' would be taken at the right time.
Distancing his party from the view expressed by one of his party deputy general secretaries Subbulakshmi Jagadeesan that DMK would offer unconditional support to Panneerselvam, Stalin said: "DMK does not concur with her view."
"Only the party president (M Karunanidhi) and General Secretary (K Anbazhagan) will take an appropriate decision at the right time," he said in a party statement here.
Earlier, the BJP - via Home Minister Rajnath Singh - also denied that they were providing any instructions or support for Panneerselvam. "It is an internal matter of Tamil Nadu," Rajnath Singh had stated.
From within the AIADMK, Panneerselvam currently has the support of leaders like former Ministers KP Munusamy, Natham R Viswanathan, Rajya Sabha MP V Maithreyan and a few sitting MLAs, besides AIADMK Presidium Chairman E Madusudanan, who switched sides and is now backing Panneerselvam.
Earlier, Panneerselvam had visited Tamil Nadu Governor C Vidyasagar Rao at the Raj Bhavan to stake his claim to form the government. Sasikala had later called on Rao and given him a letter, staking claim to form the government and containing the names of supporting MLAs who elected her as AIADMK Legislature Party leader on Sunday.
Before going to stake her claim, Sasikala, attired in her signature green saree, visited the memorial of late chief minister J Jayalalithaa along with hundreds of supporters, including some senior Ministers. Sasikala placed at the memorial a big envelope believed to be containing the list of
MLAs who have endorsed her candidature for the top post.
But suspense continued over whether Sasikala will be sworn in as Chief Minister. Governor C Vidyasagar Rao has not yet given any indication as to what course of action he will take.
Hours after caretaker Chief Minister O Panneerselvam visited Rao, Sasikala called on the Governor at Raj Bhavan and gave him the letter staking claim to form the government and containing the names of supporting MLAs who elected her as AIADMK Legislature Party leader on Sunday. She also submitted individual letters of support furnished by AIADMK MLAs.
Though there was no immediate word on what the Governor proposed to do, some reports suggested he wanted to obtain further legal opinion before taking any action.
