Soon after the Supreme Court confirmed the conviction of V K Sasikala, there was high drama at the luxury resort in Kancheepuram where AIADMK MLAs have been camping.
Large number of policemen were deployed in Kuvathur, where the Golden Bay resort is located, as Section 144 has also been invoked.
A pall of gloom descended over the camp at 10.30 am when the Supreme Court upheld a lower court verdict finding Sasikala and two of her relatives of illegally amassing wealth.
Sasikala, who stayed overnight at the resort, was visibly upset after the verdict and was consoled by MLAs. With the court asking her to surrender immediately, she is likely to stay Tuesday night at the hotel.
AIADMK sources said Sasikala, who skipped her breakfast, convened an emergency meeting that elected PWD Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami as the new AIADMK legislative party leader.
Tempers run high
Sasikala also expelled O Panneerselvam and other senior AIADMK office-bearers from the primary membership of the party for alleged anti-party activities.
Tempers ran high when a group of MLAs emerged from their rooms at noon and staged a protest after Education Minister Mafoi K Pandiarajan from the OPS camp announced that the chief minister will be meeting them soon.
Pandiarajan proceeded to the Kuvathur resort to make arrangement for the chief minister to meet the MLAs, but the police stopped him before he could reach the resort. The chief minister cancelled his visit due to the law and order concerns.
With more than 2,000 police personnel piled in the hotel’s vicinity, it is not yet clear how long the MLAs would camp in the luxury resort.
Published 14 February 2017, 19:34 IST