Palaniswami takes Oath as TN's Third CM in 2 Months, Trust Vote on Feb 18

Chennai: Round 1 of the Tamil Nadu tug-of-war went to VK Sasikala on Thursday when her loyalist Edappadi Palaniswami was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, dashing his challenger Panneerselvam’s hopes of a floor test.

Hours after Palaniswami’s swearing-in, Panneerselvam headed to Jayalalithaa’s memorial at Marina Beach, from where he had launched his rebellion against Sasikala last week.

“In 2011, Amma (Jayalalithaa) expelled many people from her house. Later, she only allowed Sasikala back and expressly stated that till she's alive, she won't allow any of the others back. These people were kept away from the party till Amma died. But now the government that's been formed is not a government of Amma loyalists. It's a government of Sasikala's family. We will ensure that Amma's government is restored. From tomorrow, we will go to every constituency to get the people's voice,” he said.

Palaniswami is the third AIADMK leader to be sworn-in as Chief Minister in the last nine months. AIDMK supremo and Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had powered the party to a rare successive term in office in the state in the May, 2016 Assembly Polls. She continued in the post through her grim 74-day battle for life.

Within hours of her death on December 5, Panneerselvam, who had filled in for Jayalalithaa twice in the past when she had to go to jail in corruption cases, was sworn-in as Chief Minister.

Amid the face off with Panneerselvam, Sasikala met Governor Rao on February 9 and staked claim to form the government.

Notwithstanding criticism from several quarters, Rao preferred to wait and watch as the political tug-of-war played out between the rival AIADMK factions.

He stood vindicated when Sasikala and two members of her family were convicted and their sentences restored by the Supreme Court in a disproportionate assets case on February 14, rendering her ineligible for contesting elections for 10 years and dashing her hopes of becoming the Chief Minister.

Sasikala — who is currently lodged in Bangalore Central Jail — then handpicked her loyalist Palaniswami, who was elected AIADMK legislature party leader and staked claim to form the government on Tuesday.