Sasikala meeting with AIADMK leaders to decide next course of action

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], Feb. 9 (ANI): A meeting between AIADMK general secretary Sasikala Natarajan and senior party leaders is currently underway at Poes Garden to decide the next course of action. Tamil Nadu Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao will meet Sasikala at 7 p.m. after meeting interim Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam at 5 p.m. Hours before she meets the Governor to stake claim to be Tamil Nadu's next chief minister, Sasikala has 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. Madhusudanan today jumped ship to back caretaker Panneerselvam. "It was Madhusudanan's proposal. He supported Sasikala as a Chief Minister. Sad development that he has now turned to Panneerselvam," said AIADMK MLA Vaigai Selvan. Amid the political tension in Tamil Nadu, Governor Vidyasagar Rao has reached Chennai. Tamil Nadu Education Minister Pandiarajan said, "All AIADMK MLAs are willing to meet the Governor if he wishes to meet as well. We have not overruled any of his suggestions. Whatever has been done was after his consent, no pressure tactics." He further said that the MLAs have been staying at their convenience at hotels, adding that they have not been forced or compelled to do anything. "We have letter of support for VK Sasikala from 135 MLAs including Panneerselvam, we still have that letter," he said. Hitting back at Sasikala for calling him a 'traitor', Panneerselvam earlier in the day accused the former of playing 'dirty tricks', adding that she instigated several ministers to give interviews to declare her as the chief minister. "Sasikala wanted to betray the party and become the Chief Minister, she instigated several Ministers who started giving interviews that she should be CM. It is Sasikala who is doing dirty tricks to acquire the chair of Chief Minister. If she succeeds it will be a big blot on democracy," said Panneerselvam. (ANI)