By V. Jagannathan and Fakir Balaji,
Chennai/Bangalore : AIADMK leader O. Panneerselvam – looking crestfallen – Monday took oath as Tamil Nadu’s chief minister to succeed J. Jayalalithaa, who moved the Karnataka High Court seeking suspension of her four-year jail sentence and bail after being convicted for corruption.
An emotive Panneerselvam, 63, wiped his tears as he took the oath of office at the Raj Bhavan in Chennai at a sombre event where there were no smiling faces and where some AIADMK ministers broke down. None of them spoke to the media.
Governor K. Rosiah consoled the chief minister as he choked while reading the oath of office and secrecy. Raj Bhavan and state government officials looked equally shattered.
The bizarre ceremony that came two days after a special court in Bangalore jailed the charismatic actor-turned-politician Jayalalithaa for four years and fined her Rs.100 crore for corruption.
Heading a 31-strong team, Panneerselvam retained the outgoing Jayalalithaa ministry. He took for himself the powerful portfolios of home, finance and planning among others.
A farmer from Theni district, Panneerselvam, widely seen as a gentle and soft-spoken man, entered politics in 1996. He was elected to the Tamil Nadu assembly in 2001 and became the minister for public works department.
He become the chief minister that year in near similar circumstances – for about six months. He headed the opposition after the AIADMK was voted out in 2006.
In Bangalore, Jayalalithaa Monday filed a criminal revision petition in the Karnataka High Court. It has been listed for admission Tuesday before the court’s vacation bench.
“The criminal revision petition (CRP) has been listed for admission Tuesday before the vacation bench of Justice Rathnakala,” a counsel for Jayalalithaa told IANS here.
Her counsel B. Kumar filed four applications seeking an early hearing, suspension of the sentence, bail for her, review of the Rs.100 crore fine and a stay on conviction, an AIADMK leader told IANS.
According to AIADMK sources, noted criminal lawyer Ram Jethmalani will argue the case seeking suspension of the four-year jail sentence, bail for release of Jayalalithaa from jail, review of the hefty fine and stay on the conviction.
The revision plea includes two interim petitions, including one for staying the conviction and another against confiscating properties seized in 1997 from Jayalalithaa’s residence in central Chennai by the Enforcement Directorate and in judicial custody here.
The properties include about 800 kg of silver, 28 kg of gold ornaments, 750 pairs of shoes, 10,500 saris, 91 watches and other valuables.
Along with Jayalalithaa, three others were also sentenced to four years in jail in the case. The three are former confidante Sasikala Natarajan, now disowned former foster son V.N. Sudhakaran and former aide J. Illavarasi. They have also filed separate revision petitions.
Jayalalithaa was disqualified as a member of the Tamil Nadu assembly, leading to developments that saw Panneerselvam take oath as chief minister of Tamil Nadu.
After two days of disturbances, Tamil Nadu was largely calm Monday. But film exhibitors said they will fast in support of Jayalalithaa Tuesday and all cinema theatres across the state will be shut that day.
“We plan to fast to extend our support to Amma (Jayalalitha). Since she has done so much for the film industry, this is the least we could do for her,” a leading exhibitor told IANS.
PMK leader S. Ramadoss asked the state government to recover from the AIADMK the losses the state and people suffered in violence that followed Jayalalithaa’s jailing.
On Saturday and Sunday, furious AIADMK supporters forced shops all over the state to shut and also attacked rival party offices and leaders. Roads in most towns and cities wore a deserted look Saturday and early Sunday.