New Delhi/Chennai: Acting Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneeerselvam and AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala remained on the warpath on Monday.
"We have the strength to manage any number of enemies," a defiant Sasikala, a long-time confidante of the late J Jayalalithaa, told AIADMK supporters at the former CM's Poes Garden residence.
At the same time, suggesting that Panneerselvam did not resign on his own, Sasikala said he was asked to go because he "hobnobbed" with the party's arch rival DMK.
Recalling the circumstances under which he was asked to resign on February 5, she said, Panneerselvam "pushed us to do that and we did not do it on our own. This is what had happened."
Speaking to party workers at the Poes Garden residence of late Jayalalithaa, she said, "I would have allowed him, as I did not aspire to becomes CM and that is the truth."
After he put in his papers on February 5, Panneerselvam initially maintained he had resigned due to 'personal reasons'. He had also proposed the name of Sasikala for the top post.
However, two days later, revolting against the party leadership, Panneerselvam said he was forced to resign on the ground that he should follow party discipline.
Sasikala today said, "They (DMK) had thought that if possible, let Panneerselvam split up and bring with him some legislators and with 89 MLAs (of DMK), a government could be formed."
She said the CM did not comment when DMK Deputy Leader in Assembly Duraimurugan last week said his party would support him.
Since Panneerselvam did not reject DMK's support, Sasikala said, she "understood" that Karunanidhi-led party was "instigating" him.
"He should have told Duraimurugan that he does not need their support when the AIADMK has a majority," Sasikala said, as per PTI.
"If Panneerselvam had said just that, I would have allowed him to continue and I would not have disturbed him."
"We decided to take a decision soon and it was Panneerselvam who pushed us to do that and we did not do it on our own and this is what had happened," she said.
Sasikala said she was never hankering after the office of CM and "at that time of grief (after Jayalalithaa's demise) the office of chief minister did not appear big to me."
"We have seen a thousand Panneerselvams before getting on to this stage and struggles are like dust on my hand and I am not worried," she said.
Meanwhile, the Panneerselvam camp continued to assert that most AIADMK MLAs were held captive by Sasikala at a resort.
But the government counsel told the Madras High Court that the legislators were not illegally detained.
On the other hand, Attorney General Mukul Rohtagi has reportedly told Governor C Vidyasagar Rao to call a special Session of the Assembly and ask Panneerselvam and Sasikala to prove their majority, as per IANS.
In his opinion, sources said, Rohatgi has stated that "he (Governor) should call a special session within a week's time and have a composite floor test as was ordered by the Supreme Court in the Jagdambika Pal case".
The Attorney General has cited the 1998 Supreme Court judgement in the Jagdambika Pal case in which the apex court had ordered a floor test in the assembly to determine who between the two claimants - Pal and Kalyan Singh - commanded the majority support for chief ministership of Uttar Pradesh.
In a related development, the all-important Supreme Court verdict, which will decide the future of Sasikala, is likely set to be pronounced tomorrow.
The make-or-mar judgement for Sasikala in the disproportionate assets case may to be delivered at 10:30 am, according to the Supreme Court causelist of cases to be taken up by it tomorrow.
The bench of Justices PC Ghose and Amitava Roy, will pass its order on a batch of appeals, including the one filed by the Karnataka government acquitting the main accused in the case, Jayalalithaa and three others, including Sasikala.
Since Jayalalithaa is dead, the case against her would be abated.
The other accused in the case are Sasikala's relatives VN Sudhakaran and Elavarasi. All four had been convicted by the trial court, but acquitted by the Karnataka High Court.
Sasikala, who was elected AIADMK legislature party leader on February five, will be rendered ineligible for contesting an Assembly election in the event of conviction, thereby stifling her ambition of becoming the CM.
(With Agency inputs)
