Such is the convoluted path of Tamil Nadu politics that Acting Chief Minister O Panneerselvam on Tuesday celebrated a Supreme Court verdict that effectively held his predecessor and mentor, J Jayalalithaa, guilty of corruption.
If fissures had not emerged within the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam since Jayalalithaa’s death in December, Tuedsday would have gone very differently. The Supreme Court delivered a much-awaited order, upholding the verdict of a trial court which found Jayalalithaa and current AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala guilty of amassing illegal wealth. The order served as vindication for Panneerselvam, who is currently caught in a battle to be seen as the true successor to Jayalalithaa, fondly known as Amma to her supporters .
But Panneerselvam will have to be careful about showing too much triumphalism over the judgment, since it also clearly holds Jayalalithaa guilty of corruption – without actually taking forward proceedings against her, since she died before the verdict could be delivered.
Officially, the appeal against Jayalalithaa’s acquittal by the Karnatka High Court in 2015 stands abated, because she died. But the judgment minces no words about her involvement in the corruption which, it held, was proven. In the quote below, A1 refers to Jayalalithaa, A2...
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