VK Sasikala watched live E Palaniswami and 30 lawmakers take oath, said a jail official. (File)
AIADMK General Secretary VK Sasikala on Thursday watched on television Edappadi Palaniswami taking oath as the new Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu at Raj Bhavan in Chennai from the Central Jail on the city's southern outskirts, said sources.
"Sasikala watched live Palaniswami and 30 lawmakers take oath as the Chief Minister and cabinet ministers in the prison's woman barracks, along with her sister-in-law Elavarasi and other inmates," a jail official told IANS on the condition of anonymity.
Ms Sasikala, 60, Ms Elavarasi and her nephew VK Sudhakaran returned to the prison on Wednesday and surrendered to resume the four-year term they were sentenced to after being held guilty of corruption in the two-decade old illegal assets case.
"Mr Palanaswami is likely to visit the prison on Friday along with his cabinet colleagues to take blessings of Chinnamma (Ms Sasikala) before assuming charge," party's Karnataka unit Secretary VA Pugazhendi told reporters.
Police stepped up security and put up barricades outside the jail complex at Parapanna Agrahara area to prevent the ruling party's factions from crowding and causing law and order problem.
"In view of Wednesday's clashes between the cadres of the party's two factions when Ms Sasikala came from Chennai by road, we have decided to restrict the entry of people to the prison to prevent any untoward incident," said a police official.
Returning to the jail after 21-day stay from September 27 to October 18, 2014, as the Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld their conviction by the trial court, Ms Sasikala had a hard time in the cell as she could not sleep and was said to be restless at night.
"Chinnamma could not sleep well and was restless as she had to lie down on the floor in a 10x8 feet cell in the women's barracks after jail officials denied her request for a mattress," lamented Mr Pugazhendi earlier in the day.
Ms Sasikala surrendered before the trial court here on Wednesday evening and entered the jail premises before 6 pm after the Supreme Court declined her plea for more time to give herself up.