Sasikala's swearing-in: AIADMK feud intensifies over suspensions, allegations

New Delhi: The continuing feud inside All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) escalated further on Friday over swearing-in of V K Sasikala after she removed party presidium chairman E Madhusudanan. In return, Madhusudan wrote to the Election Commission (EC) that she should not be allowed to continue as General Secretary of the party.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court earlier in the day declined the urgent hearing of Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking to restrain V. K. Sasikala Natrajan from taking oath as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.

The PIL, filed on February 6 in the apex court seeking a stay over Sasikala`s swearing-in, claimed that she had been convicted under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, for amassing wealth disproportionate to her income.The petitioner said he filed the plea in the interest of people of Tamil Nadu and to maintain the peace in the state.

In a major turn of events, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary Natarajan yesterday staked her claim to form government."Chinnamma stakes claim to form Government," AIADMK tweeted.Sasikala earlier visited Tamil Nadu Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao and carried along with her letter of support claiming majority.

She was accompanied by five senior AIADMK leaders.

Hours before she met the Governor to stake claim to be Tamil Nadu`s next chief minister, Sasikala lost the support of top party leader E. Madhusudhanan to O. Panneerselvam, who has underscored that he will not give up the Chief Minister`s post without a fight.

Meanwhile, Panneerselvam hit back at Sasikala for calling him a `traitor` accusing the former of playing `dirty tricks`, adding that she instigated several ministers to give interviews to declare her as the chief minister.

Warning to Panneerselvam

In the series of events, AIADMK leader Kalairajan sent warning to acting Chief Minister O. Paneerselvam to not cross the line, AIADMK leader and Sasikala supporter Kalairajan on Friday said that if the former provokes him, then he will get a response in the same intensity.

Asserting that AIADMK head quarters and Poes Garden fall under his constituency, Kalairajan said if Panneerselvam tries to meddle in their business he will have to bear the brunt of the same."If you (Panneerselvam) provoke or hit me, I`ll do same; Amma taught us to do namaskar with hands, but they can be used in other way. Haven`t threatened Panneerselvam, but if he touches us we will reply.

AIADMK Head Quarters and Poes Garden come under my district area, so I have the rights to take action," said Kalairajan.Branding Panneerselvam as `absent minded` Kalairajan added, "He`s an absent-minded person, he doesn`t know what he`s speaking now and what he`ll speak later."Yesterday, in a major turn of events, AIADMK general secretary V.K. Sasikala Natarajan staked her claim to form government in Tamil Nadu.The AIADMK informed the decision on Twitter. "

Chinnamma stakes claim to form Government," the tweet read.Sasikala had visited former Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa`s memorial at Chennai`s Marina beach. Prior to this, she had met the Tamil Nadu Governor.Sasikala also carried along with her letter of support claiming majority. She was accompanied by five senior AIADMK leaders.

'We are not prisoners'

AIAMDK MLAs backing its General Secretary V.K. Sasikala in the power struggle in Tamil Nadu on Friday said they were not being held hostage.

With several habeas corpus petitions filed in the Madras High Court and questions raised about the legislators, the MLAs met the media outside the resort where they are staying.

"MLAs cannot be kept hostage. Sasikala is treating us like how (late Chief Minister J.) Jayalalithaa treated us," said one of them, Murugumaran.

"We are not birds being kept in a cage," added another legislator.

They accused the DMK of spreading rumours that legislators backing Sasikala against acting Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam were being held hostage.

AIADMK spokesperson C.R. Saraswathi, who is not a legislator, also told the media that she had to switch off her mobile phone as there were lots of threatening calls.

After attending a meeting at the AIADMK headquarters on Wednesday, the pro-Sasikala MLAs were bussed to a beach resort near Chennai.

On Thursday, responding to a habeas corpus petition filed in the Madras High Court, the Tamil Nadu government advocate said the legislators were free.

With Agency Inputs