VK Sasikala has been chosen by Tamil Nadu's ruling AIADMK as Chief Minister.
VK Sasikala will be Chief Minister by Thursday, Tamil Nadu's ruling AIADMK insisted today as Governor Vidyasagar Rao consulted legal experts on whether such an oath ceremony should be held at all. Adding to the ruling party's pain, a veteran leader went public with his strong disapproval of Ms Sasikala - former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's long-time friend - being promoted. Mr Pandian said Jayalalithaa's death was "unnatural". Ms Sasikala should be investigated, he said, adding that she doesn't deserve any post either in the party or the government. The Governor is expected to return to Chennai by tomorrow.
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"We hope to have a swearing-in tomorrow or day after," said AIADMK leader Pandia Rajan, adding that Thursday would be perfect. "We don't suspect any tension with government," he added.
The party, however, appears to have a revolt in its hands. PH Pandian, a former assembly speaker, implied that there was more to Jayalalithaa's death and demanded that Ms Sasikala be investigates. "I heard that Jayalalithaa was pushed and when she came to the hospital she was unconscious," Mr Pandian told NDTV.
The AIADMK veteran also alleged that the former Chief Minister had suspected that she would be poisoned. "We had assured that we will never let that happen," he said.
British doctor Richard Beale, who treated Ms Jayalalithaa in her final days, has asserted that there was "no question of poisoning, nothing mysterious about the death... It was a witnessed cardiac arrest."
This is the first open revolt in the AIADMK against Ms Sasikala, who was chosen by the party on Sunday to become Chief Minister. The party described the veteran as a "betrayer" causing confusion.
The Governor is taking legal opinion on whether Ms Sasikala becomes Chief Minister when an important court verdict is expected in a corruption case against her.
The Supreme Court has been petitioned to stop Ms Sasikala taking office till it decides whether the 61-year-old is guilty of conspiring with Ms Jayalalithaa to collect wealth far exceeding their known sources of income in the early 90s. In 2014, Ms Jayalalithaa and Ms Sasikala were both arrested and jailed in Bengaluru. Their acquittal was challenged in the Supreme Court by Karnataka.
The Supreme Court has said it is ready to announce its decision next week.
Mr Rao, sources say, has kept in mind a parallel in 2001 when Jayalalithaa became Chief Minister but had to resign because of corruption charges. Yesterday, he also met Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
Public unease over Ms Sasikala's promotion has been reflected on social media in viral hashtags and memes about the rise of a person who always stayed in the shadows as Jayalalithaa's companion. Ms Sasikala emerged in the forefront after Ms Jayalalithaa's death, and took all crucial decisions when the former Chief Minister was in hospital.
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