After Sasikala who? The uncertainty is more or less over. E.K. Palanswami heading a 31 member ministry has been asked by Governor Vidyasagar Rao to prove his majority in the Assembly within fifteen days. But the state of flux is not altogether at an end. The legal challenge mounted by the O. Panneerselvam faction continues to threaten stability. Governance in Tamil Nadu collapsed in the last few days. The state faces long term problems such as growing economic stagnation and a looming threat of drought. The decision making machinery has creaked to a halt since Jayalalitha’s death. The new Government has to consolidate its position as soon as possible. What ails governance in Tamil Nadu is the absence of inner party democracy in the ruling AIADMK. The Palanswami government even after winning the floor test in the Assembly may have a bumpy ride.
The legal challenge on V.K Sasikala’s appointment as the AIADMK’s General Secretary is another cause of political uncertainty in the state. That issue has to be cleared before stable and effective governance of the AIADMK. Meanwhile, T.T.V Dhinakaran, Sasikala’s nephew also faces separate legal challenges. He is embroiled in cases involving violation of Foreign Exchange laws. Tamil Nadu politics appears to be bedevilled by the money monster. It seems to take a crooked feudal way which is at odds with Indian democracy. How the strange goings-on in Tamil Nadu affect Centre-state relations remain to be seen.
