Tamil Nadu political crisis: Sasikala’s ambitions hinge on SC verdict in disproportionate assets case

Even as the tug-of-war between acting Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) acting general secretary VK Sasikala continued on Wednesday, state Governor C Vidyasagar Rao remained conspicuous by his absence from the state capital.

On Wednesday, Sasikala ratcheted up the battle for power, busing as many as 130 MLAs to a resort outside the city to prevent Panneerselvam, better known as OPS, from contacting them. She also removed two office-bearers from the party’s IT wing.

AIADMK Rajya Sabha MP V Maithreyan, who was the first to join the OPS camp, said “packing of MLAs” in the bus shows that the Sasikala camp was frightened by the popular support for the chief minister.