[dropcap]R[/dropcap]esidents of Tamil Nadu started believing that the state’s fate is in the hands of Mannargudi gang. Like devil quoting scripture, the gang leaders will be quoting MGR and Amma. This domestic help cannot win on her own if she contests election but today got readymade opportunity to rule. The Panneerselvam government is crumbling by the day. Jayalalithaa’s demise created a political vacuum in Tamil Nadu. No ‘Real Leader’ exists in the AIADMK. Meanwhile the BJP is waiting like a ‘Caged Tiger’, ready to seize power in the state. And on the other hand, Congress is also waiting to twist the game in their favour. No one knows who the culprit is but the state has shattered like never before. Over ambitious Sasikala is ready to grab the chair, and timid and imbalanced Panneerselvam first resigned the post and now claiming his chair back.
On the other hand, Jayalalithaa’s niece Deepa will also be in the political field for company. One can expect Assembly Polls to be held in Tamil Nadu this October. With so many candidates in fray, votes will be split and BJP with Rajini could sweep the polls. Both Vaiko and Ramadoss will once again team up with the BJP. Who needs all these silly TV serials? It will certainly be very ‘entertaining’ time in politics over the next 8-9 months in TN. BJP is just waiting for their turn, the governor of TN also became a mute spectator and amusing himself with the drama that’s going on in state politics.
Pannerselvam has resigned from his post of CM, for personal reasons and Sasikala becomes the chief ministerial candidate, for fulfilling her political ambitions. The MLAs of Tamil Nadu enjoy their right to elect anyone as CM, and the people of the state will continue to enjoy their ‘Right to suffer’, under DMK or AIADMK , the two sides of the same coin. Both parties are enjoying their ‘Right’ to loot and fool them. Jayalalithaa was the leader of the masses but after her, there is no one of her stature. BJP remains the option for the future. To deal with the present scenario, if people of Tamil Nadu are not happy with Sasikala as CM then they should come to the streets to support Panneerselvam and reject endeavours by her. Amid the fast developing political activities and turmoil in Tamil Nadu concerning the AIADMK government many questions have been raised about the political future of the state.
If we look at the reality, we have to accept the fact that Indians will either worship their leader if they like or condemn him if they do not. This is the sorry state of our intelligence or ignorance. Leaders with simplicity, clarity of thought with foresightedness and sacrifice is totally missing among our politicians now.
Tamil Nadu is considered as an Intellectual State. In the name of democracy, even a layman can become a Chief Minister provided he has three fourth MLAs under his control. AIADMK MLAs are under the control of Madam V.K. Sasikala. Hence, she has a right to claim for the post of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. Residents of the state have no choice or right to decide now. The people can express their will only during the ensuing by-election to be held shortly. AIADMK knows how to face the by-election since it is a matter of prestige for them. This is a classic example illustrating a major loophole in our constitution. The people of Tamil Nadu voted for Jayalalithaa and not for AIADMK. This is a fact Sasikala was never a member of AIADMK and was not allowed by the previous leader, even as an ordinary member of AIADMK. Central Government under the leadership of Modi should know this but he has already kept hand on her head and blessed her to get her wish fulfilled looking at BJP’s future in the state. O Pannerselvam was appointed as a successor by very own Jayalalithaa that time she had not granted power to Sasikala who was behind her back for 30 years, why now and how can you expect people to accept? People voted for Modi and not for BJP. Hope he steps in and, lives to their expectations. Anyway, politics have no moral so expecting anything from anyone in such crises is foolishness of voters.
Though the resignation of Panneerselvam has been accepted, he has not been relieved of the post he holds. It means that the resignation has not become effective. So, the governor can also accept the withdrawal of resignation on good and sufficient grounds. OPS will get thumping majority of people. Students and literate people are with him. Sasikala lacks experience as a CM. OPS is simple and honest whereas Sasikala is not so. If not OPS, it is better to have fresh elections which can see a divide at the centre with Congress supporting V.K. Sasikala led AIADMK and BJP supporting DMK or like last time third party group consisting of Vaiko, Vijayakanth etc. People can decide on the next leadership.
Panneerselvam started his political career as a worker of the then united DMK in 1969 at the age of 18. He started out as a young ground level party activist who worked at the booth level for municipal and legislative assembly elections, and worked his way up the party. He joined the AIADMK in 1973 after M.G. Ramachandran split from the DMK and was among the first generation of party workers who split to found AIADMK and is thus a founding member. He became a Chairman of Periyakulam Municipality from 1996 to 2001. He was sworn in as the 13th Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in September 2001 when the Chief Minister Jayalalithaa was barred from holding office by the Supreme Court of India. In March 2002, he resigned as Chief Minister and Jayalalithaa was sworn in again after the Supreme Court overturned her conviction and she won a by-election from Andipatti assembly constituency.
In 2011, he contested as an AIADMK candidate from the Bodinayakkanur Assembly constituency and won. He was again entrusted with the responsibility of being Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on 29 September 2014 when Jayalalithaa was convicted in the disproportionate assets case. On 22 May 2015, he resigned as Chief Minister and Jayalalithaa was sworn in again after the Karnataka High Court acquitted her in the disproportionate assets case on 11 May 2015. A year after his resignation, on 23 May 2016, he was sworn in as Minister for Finance and Public Works Departments in Jayalalithaa’s government. On 6th December 2016, Panneerselvam was elected as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu following the death of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa. In December, he held his first.
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