As the political potboiler in Tamil Nadu intensifies, all eyes will be on Governor Vidyasagar Rao who met O Panneerselvam and VK Sasikala in quick succession.
While ‘caretaker’ Chief Minister Panneerselvam sought to withdraw his resignation, saying he was forced to tender it, Sasikala is learnt to have staked claim to form the government and become the next CM. She also gave him a letter presumably containing the names of MLAs who elected her as AIADMK Legislature Party Leader.
However, the Governor's response was not immediately known. Sources said he has sought further legal opinion.
He arrived in Chennai on Thursday and his absence over the last two days had raised eyebrows with Sasikala's supporters demanding that she should have been invited to form the next government.
Rao is the Governor of Maharashtra and holds additional charge of Tamil Nadu.
At 5 pm, Panneerselvam had called on Rao and after a brief meeting told reporters that "good things will happen and dharma will triumph". Sasikala arrived at 7.25 pm at the Raj Bhavan and left after a meeting that lasted about 30 minutes.
Before meeting the Governor, Sasikala visited Jayalalithaa’s memorial, where along with a wreath, she placed a list of MLAs backing her as CM.
Panneerselvam said he called on Rao along with senior leaders of his camp including, AIADMK Presidium Chairman E Madusudanan. He said they have the "blessings" of late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.
He quoted a popular Tamil verse of nationalist poet Subramanya Bharathi, the import of which is "though dharma could be eclipsed by intrigue, it will be dharma which will triumph ultimately".
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