AIADMK tight-lipped on Jaya's return as CM

The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) supremo J Jayalalitha, who was acquitted in the disproportionate assets case, convened an emergency meeting on Wednesday with Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and his cabinet colleagues at her residence.

The meeting comes close on the heels of the Opposition demanding the Karnataka government to go for an appeal in the Supreme Court challenging former chief minister’s acquittal, citing “arithmetic errors” in the judgement.

The AIADMK is still tight-lipped on Jayalalitha’s return as the chief minister.

The party sources said the 30 minute meeting, which was attended by all the 20 state ministers, also discussed to convene the Party’s Legislature Party (LP) meeting to formally elect Jayalalitha as LP leader. “Our Amma reviewed all our works. She also asked us to discharge the duty well,” a minister said.

The meeting also drew speculations that Panneerselvam might submit his resignation on Thursday or Friday. This is the second such meeting being held at AIADMK chief’s house after she was acquitted on May 11.

Once Jayalalitha is sworn-in, she has to get elected to the assembly within six months in a by-poll. Instead of a by-election, she could also opt for snap polls to the assembly to build on the euphoria over her acquittal from the disproportionate assets case.