Tamil Nadu/State Politics : The Saga of Suspense

The Saga of Sasikala has received a break after SC verdict on disproportionate assets case. Will Parappana Prison will be a new power  centre in Tamil Nadu Politics? 

TS Venkatesan from Chennai
The ongoing drama of Musical Chair in Tamil Nadu is temporarily halted with the setting aside AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala’s acquittal by Karnataka High Court in the disproportionate assets case and “restoring in full” the trial court conviction of September 2014,  by Kancheepuram Court. The two-judges bench directed Sasikala and the two relatives to immediately surrender to the trial court in Bengaluru and serve the remaining part of four-year jail term, that is three years, 10 months and 27 days. In this case, Jayalalithaa and three others were accused of allegedly amassing disproportionate asserts to the tune of Rs 66.65 crore during her first term as Chief Minister from 1991 to 1996.

As per the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, Sasikala is disqualified from becoming a legislator, consequentially the Chief Minister. Still, she managed to install E Palanisamy as her choice of CM and Dinakaran, her nephew as Deputy General Secretary of the party. This way she has ensured the tight
control over top party machinery and
government. Will this end the reign of uncertainity in Tamil Nadu is stil a suspense.
Political Pot Boiling
The spat over supremacy in the Party and to assume power at Fort St.George, the seat of TN power between Sasikala & co and Chief Minister O Panneerselvaam, it seemed, has no end. Tamil Nadu has been witnessing political storm, accusations, counter accusations, staking claims to form government, pressurising the Governor to end the suspense drama, ever since OPS’s meditative assertions on the night of February 7 on the Marina sands where their mentor MGR and Jayalalithaa’s memorial are housed. Each day passed with MPs and MLAs owing allegiance to Sasikala shifted their loyalty and support to OPS, which gave him a boost. Cadres thronged his greenways road residence, which swelled day-by-day.
Sasikala visited Koovathur on a routine basis, where the MLAs are kept under the Mannargudi goons’ care. She doled out all assurances and offers for their support to her to become CM. Her nephews TTV Dinakaran and Dr S Venkatesh were assigned the task of ensuring that there was no fleeing from the Koovathur Resort on the outskirts of Chennai where at least 100 AIADMK legislators were lodged and were cut off from the outside world. But sumptuous food and wine were served without any restriction.
Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai was in New Delhi to canvass support for Sasikala. Sasikala’s estranged husband M Natarajan flexed his muscles in Delhi, unsuccessfully lobbying with old Congress cronies and trying to meet even AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi. Amid the continuing tug-of-war between the two factions, Sasikala said she got Pannerselvam removed as Chief Minister as he had ‘hobnobbed with rival DMK and not declined support when offered by a leader. On the other hand,  Panneerselvam continued his open challenge by saying, “Instead of shedding crocodile tears and claiming that they (MLAs) are free, she (Sasikala) should let them go back to their homes.” Speaking to media he trolled Sasikala by equating her ‘antics’ to those of Tamil film comedian Vadivelu. He did not forget to remind Sasikala’s silence over Amma’s health and alleged that it was she who engineered dissent between Jayalalithaa and her loyalists over the years.
Sasikala addressing party cadres outside the Poes Garden residence, threatened to retaliate if her attempts to become chief minister were thwarted. Meanwhile, on February 12, she presented the MLAs before journalists to buttress the allegations that they were forcibly kept against their wishes. Prior to the judgement day,  Sasikala stayed overnight  at the Golden Bay Resort in Koovathur to keep her flock of MLAs together and work out the post
verdict strategy. Minutes after the Supreme Court verdict, AIADMK appeared to defend her, saying she had always carried the burden of the late Jayalalithaa.
Another claimant of Amma’s legacy, Deepa Jayakumar, niece of Jayalalithaa, declared that “My political journey begins today” (February 14, ten days before her scheduled launch) and joined the OPS camp. Reacting to the court verdict, she said, “This is a good verdict, a just verdict as those who have to go to jail have gone. This verdict was long pending and most welcomed. Now it is clear that those who indulged in corruption have been taken to task. I have always been saying that Sasikala could
never be accepted because of the assets case.”
With the Supreme Court being firm on not giving any more time, Sasikala was  sent to jail after she surrendered before special court judge Ashwathnarayana. She left Jayalalithaa’s Poes Garden residence in Chennai just before noon and headed to Bengaluru after visiting the Jayalalithaa”s memorial on Marina Beach, where she paid floral tributes to Jayalalithaa.
In dramatic gestures, an emotional Sasikala went around the burial site, muttered something and tapped on the tomb thrice as if taking a vow, prayed and prostrated. “Sasikala’s qualities like  ambition, avarice, arrogance and making AIADMK to be her family unit are the one that dashed her dreams. Plus pressure from her close clans pushed her to pit of shame. It would be a lesson for other politicians to learn,” said a political commentator.
Barely two hours after the Supreme Court upheld the trial court”s verdict in the disproportionate assets case against AIADMK general secretary V K Sasikala and others, party MLAs staying at a resort in Koovathur elected highways minister Edappadi K Palaniswami as legislature party leader.  He met the Governor and staked claim.  Sasikala reinducted her close relatives TTV Dinkaran and S Venkatesh into the party, five years after their expulsion by AIADMK supremo and the then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.
Many hailed the judgment after a trial of long 20 years saying this would give a warning to corrupt politicians that long arm of law would take its course one day and nobody would escape from punishment. But it has pushed Tamil Nadu in the new era of politics, where both prominent figures who dominated the scene, Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa are not in the picture and new characters fighting for Amma’s legacy E Palanisamy and O Panneerselvam have occupied the  centre stage.
Though after Governor taking a judicious call on inviting E Palanisamy to form the government, the curtains on this long drama are put on temporary basis, the doubts over how far this government is stable are still looming. We will have to wait for the same till the majority is tested on the floor of the House. Meanwhile, whether Parappana Prison near Bengaluru would be the new power centre in Tamil Nadu politics is the point of discussion in Chennai.         n