Madras HC permits united AIADMK's meet today to sack VK Sasikala

While Sasikala loyalists and her nephew- TTV Dhinakaran- are still fighting for her, the Madras High Court has given permission for the meeting of united AIADMK, which is expected to sack its jailed leader VK Sasikala. In fact, on Monday, the court dismissed a petition by a legislator loyal to Sasikala and TTV Dhinakaran, asking that it put a stop to today's General Council. Meanwhile, lawmaker V Vetrivel, who filed the petition has been fined with Rs 1 Lakh for wasting the court's time.

Simultaneously, the court also said that any decision by the General Council will be subject to its decision, which may be announced during the next hearing scheduled for Oct 23. Meanwhile, another court in Bengaluru had put a freeze on the meeting in response to another petition by a Sasikala loyalist. However, the united AIADMK meeting, led by Chief Minister E Palaniswami and his predecessor O Panneerselvam said that they would stick to the Madras High Court order. 

The expulsion of Sasikala has been one of the key conditions of the merger by the faction led by Panneerselvam. But the attempt to execute the demand has brought the Palaniswami government to the brink of crisis. Now, DMK has rallied with the Dhinakaran faction saying that Palaniswami does not have a majority and that he should submit to a trust vote. 

Last week, Dhinakaran had met governor Vidyasagar Rao for the second time and demanded that he be allowed to lead the assembly for a floor test.Just hours after the two factions shook hands over a deal last month, the Dhinakaran loyalists rebelled met the Governor and demanded that he replaced the CM.

Meanwhile, DMK Chief MK Stalin, who met the Governor on Sunday, said that together with Mr Dhinakaran, they have 119 legislators. The halfway mark in the 234-member assembly since the death of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa stands at 117. The faction that is led by the CM says that it has the covert support of 9 lawmakers from the Dhinakaran camp and hence a majority figure of 124. 
 

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