[AIADMK Secretary V K Sasikala pays tribute to late J Jayalalithaa at her burial spot, in Chennai. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam is also seen.]
Chennai: After open opposition by Assembly Speaker P.H. Pandian and the late J. Jayalalithaa's niece Deepa Jayakumar to elevation of V.K. Sasikala as Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister, O Panneerselvam on Tuesday also revolted against the AIADMK General Secretary.
O Panneerselvam who became Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after the death of J Jayalalithaa, said he was forced to resign on Sunday to make way for Sasikala and hinted that he may withdraw his resignation if people of Tamil Nadu and party cadres so desired.
Panneerselvam also said that he was being "insulted" by senior ministers and leaders who sought to "undermine" him after electing him the Chief Minister.
Earlier in the day, Panneerselvam visited the memorial on Marina beach and sat on the floor cross legged and meditated with closed eyes for more than 30 minutes.
His face seemed to be grim. He was watched by a large number of his supporters and AIADMK activists. With moist eyes he ended his meditation.
Deepa Jayakumar, J. Jayalalithaa's niece, made known her dislike of Sasikala by saying that "being with someone for 33 years is not a qualification to become the Chief Minister".
"A lot of people are unhappy over the happenings in the AIADMK," she told the media at her house. "The people of Tamil Nadu are not happy with Sasikala becoming the Chief Minister."
Meanwhile, Pandian, who was the Speaker when the iconic AIADMK founder M.G. Ramachandran was the Chief Minister, spoke to the media at his residence along with his son Manoj Pandian, a former Rajya Sabha member.
Manoj Pandian also claimed that Jayalalithaa had once told him that she may be poisoned to death.
"When 'Thuglaq' editor Cho Ramaswamy and I were Directors of Jaya TV, she (Jayalalithaa) told us she fears this group would poison her to death," Manoj Pandian said. Cho Ramaswamy died on December 6.
"I told her she does not belong to one family but belongs to over 1.5 crore members of AIADMK. The people of Tamil Nadu will protect you," the junior Pandian claimed.
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