The Supreme Court on Friday refused to hear an urgent petition arguing against the appointment of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief Sasikala Natrajan as Tamil Nadu’s new chief minister, PTI reported. The petition, filed on Monday, asked that she be stopped from assuming the post till the court makes its decision in a disproportionate assets case against her. On Sunday, the AIADMK’s legislature party had voted for her to become its leader and incumbent Chief Minister O Panneerselvam stepped down.
While Sasikala was expected to be sworn earlier in the week, the formalities were delayed as Tamil Nadu Governor C Vidyasagar Rao had not been in the state, and opposition to the move has grown every day. On Thursday, Sasikala staked claim to form the government after she met Rao at the Raj Bhavan in Chennai.
Earlier on Thursday, Rao had met Panneerselvam, who had in dramatic fashion said he was forced to vacate his post to make way for Sasikala days after he resigned. Panneerselvam said he had asked the governor to withdraw his resignation as chief minister and said that Rao would announce his decision after meeting Sasikala.
Officials had said the governor was awaiting instructions from the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre before announcing his final decision on the impasse between the two, which has left Tamil Nadu politics in turmoil.
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