Uncertainty over swearing-in date, preparations come to halt

 With uncertainty looming large over the exact date of AIADMK general secretary V K Sasikala’s swearing in as Tamil Nadu chief minister, the preparations at the venue for the ceremony came to a grinding halt on Tuesday.

Officials and police left the University of Madras auditorium, which, till the day before, was busy with activity.

 As there were no signs of a formal invitation from Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao, who is in Mumbai, the ruling AIADMK held an emergency meeting chaired by Sasikala at her Poes Garden residence on Tuesday morning to take stock of the situation. 

With Raj Bhavan sources indicating that the governor might come to Chennai on Wednesday or Thursday, the AIADMK high command has instructed all party legislators to be in town till further orders.

A PTI report from Mumbai said, Rao, who is in Mumbai, has no plans to go to Chennai as of now, Raj Bhavan sources in Mumbai said, indicating that he could take a decision on Wednesday. Rao, who is Maharashtra governor, is holding additional charge of Tamil Nadu.

 Adding confusion to the political developments, the officer on special duty at the chief minister's office, Shantha Sheela Nair, tendered her resignation on Tuesday citing ‘personal reasons’.