Amidst the growing suspense over the pending Supreme Court verdict on VK Sasikala's involvement in the disproportionate assets case and Attorney General's advice for a floor test, here are the key highlights on how the Tamil Nadu political crisis took shape on the seventh day.

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While many are looking forward to the DA case verdict, the Tamil Nadu state government machinery is thinking back to the Jallikattu protests. Law and order backlash is something they are preparing for not just for today but for the entire week. Police presence has been upped across the city at the start of the week and screws tightened across the five locations which are likely to see disturbance after the DA verdict — Jayalalithaa’s residence at Poes Garden, OPS residence on Greenways Road, AIADMK headquarters, Golden Bay Resorts and Marina Beach Road. Cops are on alert for crowds that may expand to become larger groups. The general line of thinking among government insiders is that the Jallikattu protests were much more about a lack of state government preparation and a lag in police intelligence and a tad less about “spontaneous” uprising.

Since Monday night, there’s a growing buzz — and it’s coming from New Delhi — about the DA case possibly heading for a split verdict. If Justice Amitava Roy and Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose have written separate judgments, a split verdict is well within the realm of possibility until it's declared at 10.30 am. The three simpler outcomes are Sasikala’s conviction, acquittal or the case being dialled back to the Karnataka High Court. In case of a split verdict, a fourth flank opens up: the Chief Justice of India could refer the case to another judge or bench and we all know what that means — a 20-year-old case will drag some more and the inmates of Golden Bay Resorts will erupt in wild celebration.

Now, if the case heads for a split verdict and is referred back to a bench rather than a single judge, it could mean an awfully long wait. Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi has already advised Governor Rao that he must go with the choice of the AIADMK legislature party - despite allegations of foul play by the OPS camp, swear in Sasikala and call for a floor test immediately.

History and precedent were all too familiar for the Governor to rush in last week — Jayalalithaa was disqualified as Chief Minister after she was convicted under the Prevention of Corruption Act in 2001 and again in September 2014.

Governor C Vidyasagar Rao got back from Mumbai last Thursday and it was fairly clear that he would wait it out until the DA case verdict.

If DA case heads for split verdict, Tamil Nadu will have to wait longer to get a CM?

When Jayalalithaa was alive, a case verdict day for her — especially one of this magnitude — would mean thousands of coconuts and white pumpkins being smashed at temples across the state, women cadre lining up in droves, many of them fasting until the verdict is out, raw and unrelenting wave upon wave of loyalty, affection and support. Tuesday has dawned cool and clear, the crowds are in predictable photo op spots and they will have their moment in some camera frame or the other as the sun climbs higher. Corner shops around politico hotspots selling tea and biscuits are all enjoying a spike in walk-ins.

The hugely popular Tamil magazine Kumudam has a long loved ‘spot the six differences’ page of two almost similar cartoons.

The former, who is a PWD minister could have his nose ahead in the race. But will majority stay on in the faction led by a tainted Sasikala or jump ship to O Panneerselvam?

Plan B for Sasikala if she is convicted would mean to convene an emergency AIADMK legislature meeting and elect either E Palanisamy or Sengottaiyan as new leader of legislature party.

B Kumar, S Senthil: These two led 25 lawyers from Tamil Nadu defending Jaya; strengthened the hands of more famous lawyers pushing for bail, played a leading role in the Karnataka High Court acquittal.

Senior Advocate L Nageswara Rao: Appeared for Jayalalithaa as defence counsel in Supreme Court, argued that appeals by DMK and Subramaian Swamy had no locus.

Justices PC Ghose, Amitava Roy: Heard the appeal against the High Court Judgment delivered by Kumaraswamy J, and reserved the verdict June 2016 after 20 days of court arguments.

Justice HL Dattu: Former Chief Justice of India Dattu heard Jayalalithaa’s petition in the Supreme Court against Karnataka High Court’s rejection of her bail plea in the DA case.

Fali S Nariman: After Jayalalithaa was jailed, her team leaned on this eminent jurist to get bail for the AIADMK chief.

Justice CR Kumaraswamy: The judge who acquitted Jayalalithaa of all charges in the Disproportionate Assets case. Was his judgement a “tragedy of arithmetic errors” as Subramanian Swamy calls it? The last word on that comes up this week.

Justice John Michael D’Cunha: Special Court judge who delivered the September 2014 verdict that sent Tamil Nadu into a tizzy - he convicted and jailed the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 for holding disproportionate assets. In November 2016, he was appointed judge of the Karnataka High Court.

As we wait for the Supreme Court verdict, le's take a a look at the A-list of legal minds whose names will remain associated with the disproportionate case that has its roots in a gaudy million dollar wedding that pockmarked both Tamil Nadu and Jayalalithaa’s legacy and continues to haunt Sasikala. Everytime Jayalalithaa went in and out of courts for 19 years, these are the folks behind those headlines.

A-list of legal minds who will always be associated with DA case

Of the 135 AIADMK legislators (plus Jayalalithaa) who were elected in 2016, sources say at least 90-odd are firm Sasikala loyalists, having got their ticket thanks to the woman from Mannargudi. That is why they say, they are staying put in her camp. Anyone underestimating the hold of the Sasikala family over the MLAs, is making a grave mistake.

Why it is only MPs and not MLAs who are joining OPS' cause

But both sides are making desperate moves to be one-up on the other. The AIADMK sacked its IT wing secretary G Ramachandran because he had crossed over to the Panneerselvam camp, after having retweeted many tweets that were supportive of the OPS. Team Sasikala is already upset that they have not been able to effectively counter the anti-Sasikala narrative and hashtags like #NotMyCM on Twitter.

Panneerselvam is playing mind-games with the Sasikala camp which has learnt one important lesson in the last 24 hours — loyalty to Amma is not a fixed deposit to be transferred to Chinnamma, now that Jayalalithaa is no more.

News18 reports that Sasikala is mulling picking a new successor as the Supreme Court pronounces its verdict. According to the report, Sasikala might pick Jayalalithaa's nephew for the post.

A back of the envelope calculation puts the bill for boarding and lodging these “free as birds” MLAs for a week at about Rs 50 lakh plus. Add to this fuel costs for the plus-size-only vehicles that Sasikala’s brood prefers and sundry exprenses for the thuggish men in starched white veshtis guarding the outer walls of the resort and you’re looking at a cool Rs 1 crore and that’s a conservative estimate. Public servants, did they say?

"For tomorrow, we will surely have rooms available, Madam," says the sleep deprived front office manager at the suddenly famous beach resort on Chennai’s outer edge.

It is costing Rs 3,50,000 for 119 members of the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly "living like a large, happy family" in 56 rooms at Golden Bay Resorts in Koovathur, Tamil Nadu. That’s the room rent for a single day minus all the frills, service tax, Swachh Bharat cess and that sort of petty cash detailing.

So, is it a good thing for the democracy and the judiciary? Looks like it is although it could further delay the already sluggish judicial processes. It’s indeed gladdening that we are going to witness today is something that’s getting rarer. Can we expect some new useful addition to our jurisprudence? Let’s wait and see.

The LiveLaw study also has found out that in the benches of the Chief Justice of India (CJI), the rate of decline in dissent is more than in other benches. Between 2011 and 2014, there hadn’t been a single case of dissent. Could it be because the “persona” of the CJI or the indirect influence of his authority on a subordinate judge? One of the judges in the bench that heard the DA case is quite senior.

Still, that the judges chose to write separate verdicts on the DA case, that has already taken 20 years and a lot of the courts’ time, shows that there’s something special about this case. Would it make some legal breakthrough? In case the verdicts are dissenting, the opportunity costs are going to be much higher because the hearing might start all over again which would entail more time of the SC judges, lawyers and even the final delivery of justice.

But another important question is if it’s good for the development and practice of Law? According to this analysis by LiveLaw that looked at there verdicts from 1950 to 2014, the phenomenon of dissenting opinions by judges has declined since 2011 after steadily rising from 1980. The increasing number of two judge-benches and the heavy workload are cited as the possible reasons.

Since both the names of the judges appear in the listing of the DA case, it’s expected that the judges are going to give separate judgments. If they dissent in their verdicts, the outcome for Sasikala and Tami Nadu politics can be be dramatically different.

If it's dissenting verdicts, what we are going to see today is a phenomenon that’s getting rarer

Elaborate security arrangements have been made outside Sasikala's residence in Poes Garden as precaution ahead of Supreme Court's verdict in the corruption case against VK Sasikala. Apex court is expected to pronounce its verdict today.

A small crowd is gathered outside the residence of O Panneerselvam on Greenways Road in Chennai. The mood is tense and the crowd is anxious. They all realise that even though the Supreme Court verdict is about a corruption case involving Sasikala, Supreme Court's judgment will affect all of Tamil Nadu.

In a two-judge bench, as in the DA case, there cannot be majority and minority views and if the judges are dissenting, it will have to go to a bigger bench so that there will be a conclusive verdict later.

“In accordance with the majority opinion the challenge to the constitutionality of Section 302 of the Penal Code in so far as it provides for the death sentence as also the challenge to the constitutionality of Section 354(3) of the CrPC, 1973 fails and is rejected. The Writ Petitions and other connected matters may now be placed for hearing, in the usual course, before the Division Bench for consideration of the individual cases on merits, in the light of the principles enunciated in the majority judgment.”

And this is how the final order, that referred to the minority view, read:

“I have had the advantage of reading the careful judgment prepared by my learned brother Sarkaria. but I find myself unable to agree with the conclusions reached by him. I am of the (view that Section 302 of the Indian |Penal Code in so far as it provides for imposition of death penalty as an alternative to life sentence is ultra vires and void as being violative of Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution since it does not provide any legislative guidelines as to when life should be permitted to be extinguished by imposition of death sentence. I would therefore strike down Section 302 as unconstitutional and void in so far as it provides for imposition of death penalty as an alternative to imprisonment for life. I shall give my reasons for this view on the day on which the Court reopens after the summer vacation.

An important verdict in which the former Chief Justice of India PN Bhagwati made a dissenting note was the Bachan Singh vs State Of Punjab on 9 May, 1980, which is held up as a significant example in law schools. While four judges of the bench that heard the case were together in their verdict with their “majority view”, Justice Bhagwati had a “minority view” which was rejected.

If the judges are of the opinion that the case raises substantial questions of constitutional law (which is highly unlikely at this stage i.e that of final verdict), then they may refer those questions to a Constitution Bench (A five judge bench) under Article 145(3) of the Constitution who will hear arguments on those particular questions and then send the opinions back so the case can be disposed by the Division Bench.

However, divisions between judges in Division Bench have been growing rarer and rarer in recent years as most judgements are delivered either Per Curiam (in the name of the Court) and signed off by both judges or contain a leading opinion seconded by a shorter opinion. A dissenting opinion today will be quite rare.

A two judge bench is known as a Division Bench. If the judges of Division Bench disagree on a particular point of law, then they refer that particular point to a third judge for adjudication. The entire case will not go automatically to another bench. Unless however, they disagree on all issues of all, in which case a third judge will hear arguments on all the issues afresh and pass a separate verdict to resolve the division.

In his counter-move, OPS changed the state police intelligence chief on Monday evening and appointed S Davidson Devasirvatham, who had been shunted out in 2015. This would ensure that the police strategy would change and Sasikala would lose the alleged patronage. In such case, what else can she do other than going there herself? If there is an adverse verdict, the MLAs need more control so that they just don’t run away.

OPS’ biggest weakness, since his break with Sasikala, has been the lack of police support and his inability to reach the MLAs to seek their endorsement. There had been reports that the police had provided tacit support to the Sasikala camp in guarding the resort and in ensuring that nobody from outside gained access. Reportedly there was ring of security provided by private men — OPS had that alleged there were four "goondas" per MLA — and the police also seemed to have supported them by preventing the media or others from entering the resort.

Sasikala’s dramatic move of shifting to the resort on Monday where about 119 MLAs are housed may not be a premeditated master-stroke, but a move necessitated by O Panneerselvam’s counter strategy to break her gridlock over the MLAs.

Has the change of police intelligence chief by O Panneerselvam prompted Sasikala to camp at the Golden Bay resort?

Sasikala decamping to Golden Bay Resorts has little to do with her "deep commitment" to her AIADMK family and everything to do with the unforgettable memories of Jayalalithaa on her favourite balcony after victories big and small. Sasikala does not dare try that before the verdict. If she goes scot free, expect an 'SRK at Mannat' kinda moment. In real estate litigation, they call it squatting.

Poes Garden is the mansion Sasikala 'occupies' but it is Jayalalithaa’s property and we have no idea whether there’s a will. All we know is that a camp other than OPS’ flew in a top doctor from the UK in a tearing hurry last week to say that Jayalalithaa was “conscious” when she put her thumb impression on certain documents. What about Jayalalithaa’s will? Deafening silence.

Just for the record, this is where Sasikala can live without any question marks but she chooses not to — her address as in the DA case pending since 1996: #18, Third Cross Street, East Abhirampuram, Chennai - 600018.

The simplest questions are the most awkward to answer if you lock yourself into a web of secrecy and intrigue as Sasikala (just like Jayalalithaa) has done for the last two decades.

What’s your address? Imagine you ask Sasikala that, what would she say?

A pamphlet which lists out ten points explaining why O Panneerselvam was always former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's first choice. Among other things mentioned, the pamphlet says that OPS was trustworthy and loyal. Interestingly, the pamphlets were distributed by Jayalalithaa's niece Deepa Jayaraman followers.

The judgment in the two-decade-old corruption case will be pronounced by a bench of Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose and Justice Amitava Roy in Court Room 6 at 10.30 am. Interestingly, it is a two-judge bench which is known as a Division Bench. If the judges of Division Bench disagree on a particular point of law, then they refer that particular point to a third judge for adjudication. The entire case will not go automatically to another bench. Unless however, they disagree on all issues of all, in which case a third judge will hear arguments on all the issues afresh and pass a separate verdict to resolve the division.

Once the verdict on Sasikala is out, government will implement the judgment. It is now upto Governor C Vidyasagar Rao to call either Sasikala or O Panneerselvam

Another MLA Semmalai extended his support to O Panneerselvam. Panneerselvam now has 12 MPs and 9 MLAs in his camp. TS Sudhir reports that Semmalai was in the resort till Monday. Such last minute decisions and desertion indicates nervousnes.

Less than 10 minutes left for verdict: Let's take a look at the possibilities

Reports also said that Sasikala will not be able to contest any election for the next ten years. The Supreme Court bench has ordered the acting general secretary of the party to pay a fine of Rs 10 crore. However, Sasikala can take the case further and refer it to a larger bench, even though her political career has effectively ended.

Two-judge bench convicts AIADMK General Secretary VK Sasikala in the 20-year-old corruption case. The embattled leader has been sentenced to 4 years in prison and has been told to surrender immediately.

​ "AIADMK still has the majority. They should immediately nominate another person to lead the government in the state, and Governor should swear this person in immediately. Any further delay in swearing-in could lead to another case, Subramanian Swamy told News18.

A little more than a week later, Supreme Court's verdict convicting Sasikala and Jayalalithaa comes as a shock and a huge setback for the Sasikala camp who had the numbers to prove their majority on the floor of the state Assembly. Supreme Court bench has also ordered immediate arrest of Sasikala and said that soon to be former AIADMK general secretary will be out of active politics for next ten years. A fine of Rs 10 crore has been slapped on the leader too.

Merely a week ago, the drama in Tamil Nadu escalated without warning and there were two close confidantes of the late Jayalalithaa who were at each other for the Chief Minister's post. While O Panneerselvam went to Jaya's memorial and claimed "Amma spoke" to him, Sasikala said she was the one who stood by Amma for 33 years when the former chief minister was ridiculed by everyone.

Speaking to News18, Soli Sorabjee said, "There is no split verdict by the Supreme Court. She can't possibly be the chief minister. She will have to serve the sentence. However, Sasikala camp has the majority. Someone else can be nominated for the post of chief minister who is loyal to her. Her conviction doesn't debar her from running the party."

Latest reports say that 22 MLAs have jumped to O Panneerselvam camps, which effectively means that the Sasikala camp does not even enjoy majority anymore.

"The Supreme Court’s verdict in DA case is out today. Need of the hour is to enable an able and stable government in Tamil Nadu as per the wishes of the people of state:" Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu tweet on Sasikala’s verdict

If she has served any time in prison already, she would be given credit for that time that has already been served. She can also apply for probation as any normal prisoner may be entitled to under the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958 based on the report of her Probation Officer as to her conduct and the prospects of her rehabilitation.

She may make an application for review of the judgment. This application will have to be preferred within thirty days. There will be no oral arguments and a review will only be admitted if there is an error apparent on the face of the record. The chances of a review petition being admitted are slim. If that fails she can prefer a curative petition stating that natural justice was violated in her case. The chances of that being admitted are even more slim.

"Whenever there had been burden for Amma (Jayalalithaa) she (Sasikala) had taken it on her. She is doing the same now also. #Chinnamma," the party's official Twitter handle, @AIADMKOfficial said.

Minutes after the Supreme Court convicted VK Sasikala, the AIADMK on Tuesday threw its weight behind the party general secretary, saying she has always carried the "burden" of Jayalalithaa.

"Justice done after a long time, after about two decades. It is a historic judgment," Stalin said, adding that the verdict showed how politicians should conduct themselves in public life.

DMK working president MK Stalin on Tuesday described as "historic", the disproportionate assets case judgment convicting VK Sasikala, and called on Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao to take steps for forming a stable government in Tamil Nadu.

For all the heat being piled on him, governor Rao showed admirable patience in holding his counsel and not taking a decision that could trigger another crisis in the state later. READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

But politics in India is a 24x7 reality show, driven by TV ratings. To the breathless media and its many pundits, the governor's "delay" was a sure sign that somebody was conducting a backroom operation from somewhere, dictating his actions. No evidence was offered for such a conjecture, but what's the point in waiting for facts when journalism can be conducted through speculation?

Throughout the political turmoil, the governor had been targeted for his use of "delaying tactics". There were elaborate conspiracy theories drawn and endless sound bites given on why his office had taken the wait-and-watch approach. With the apex court indicating that it would deliver the verdict within a week, it made little sense for Rao to call Sasikala for swearing-in and usher in a Constitutional crisis should there be an unfavourable verdict (as it turned out to be the case). Considered legal opinion was of the view that he was right in not rushing into a hasty decision. No less than former Attorney-General of India Soli Sorabjee had come out in his favour.

The Supreme Court verdict convicting AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala in a 19-year-old disproportionate assets case, effectively ending her chances of ever taking office as Tamil Nadu chief minister, is a vindication for Governor Vidyasagar Rao.

Three more SPs from Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri and Tiruvannamalai too are given alert as the convicts would be taken to Bengaluru through these districts, sources told News Today correspondent Santhosh Mathevan.

Five district SPs and IGs from two zones have been brought to the resort. SPs of Cuddalore, Kanchipuram, Thiruvallur, Villupuram and Vellore along with North and Central zone IGs are at the Golden Bay resort in Kovathur. From revenue department, only Seiyyur Tahsildar has arrived. No other government official has come here to the Golden Bay Resort.

"Thank you all for your support. The golden rule of Amma will continue. Amma's soul will protect the state. I express my heartfelt thanks. Ideals of Amma will continue."

OPS first reaction: Caretaker Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu O Panneerselvam wrote an open letter to party leaders mentioning, "MLAs must forget temporary differences and should unite."

After the verdict in the DA case, groundswell of support for O Panneerselvam outside residence

"We have the numbers and therefore we have written a letter to the Governor C Vidyasagar Rao to invite us to form the government. As soon as governor calls we will submit letter to him to prove out majority to form the government," Palanisamy says.

VK Sasikala camp wrote a letter to the Governor mentioning that O Panneerselvan has been expelled and Edapadi K Palanisamy was appointed as the new leader of legislator. The letter further reads the Governor should invite them to form the government.

E Palanisamy has written a letter to Governor C Vidyasagar Rao and staked claim to form the government. AIADMK presidium chairman Sengottaiyan will also meet the Governor carrying MLAs support letter which says that the MLAs have unanimously elected Edapadi K Palanisamy as Legislative Leader of the party.

E Palanisamy on his way to Raj Bhavan to stake claim to form government: 'I have sent a letter to Governor with details about MLAs'

Incidentally, the politician had then chosen not to function from the chair on which his 'revered' leader sat while he performed the role of night watchman. He duly vacated the post after Jayalalithaa was acquitted in the case.

From humble origins as a farmer and tea shop owner to Fort St George, the seat of power in Tamil Nadu, he has travelled a path of unexpected twists and turns. Jayalalithaa had sprung a surprise by handpicking him to fill her shoes in 2001 when she had to step down due to her conviction in TANSI land scam case. But this time, following her conviction, it was more or less clear he was leading the race among his colleagues, considering his unflinching loyalty to Jayalalithaa that even earned him the sobriquet 'Mr Faithful.'

After filling in as the interim chief minister twice, O Panneerselvam is back at the helm of things. After the Supreme Court verdict which convicted VK Sasikala in the 20-year-old disproportionate assets case, OPS (even though expelled from AIADMK), is in a stronger position than his competition.

Leaders from Panneerselvam's camp said, "Decision taken by Sasikala regarding his suspension is illegal as the court judgment says she has to surrender forthwith and hence it's a contempt of court. Amma's spirit is still alive. It will protect our state and its people and show us the right way."

"The case was investigated by ACB. So Karnataka police has no role. The directive needs to come from Tamil Nadu home department. If she surrenders before trial court, prison department will take charge," says Karnataka DGP.

In the May 2001 Assembly elections, AIADMK secures absolute majority and Jayalalithaa becomes the chief minister. Her appointment is challenged due to her conviction in October, 2000 in the Tansi (Tamil Nadu Small Industries Corporation) case. The Supreme Court nullifies the appointment. READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

1 October 1997: Madras High Court dismisses three petitions by Jayalalithaa including one challenging the sanction granted by then Governor M Fathima Beevi for prosecuting her.

4 Jun 1997: They are charge-sheeted for offences under sections 120-B IPC, 13(2) read with 13(1)(e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

1997: Prosecution launched in sessions court in Chennai against Jayalalithaa and three others for having assets 'disproportionate' to their known income.

1996: Subramanian Swamy, then Janata Party chief, files a case against Jayalalithaa alleging that during her tenure as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister from 1991 to 1996, she amassed properties worth Rs 66.65 crore disproportionate to her known sources of income.

Following is the chronology of events in the disproportionate assets (DA) case in which the Supreme Court on Tuesday convicted AIADMK General Secretary VK Sasikala that also involved the late chief minister J Jayalalithaa.

The humble O Panneerselvam will now rise as the new star of Dravidian politics. His popularity, that has been rising since his late night revolt against Sasikala at Marina a week ago, will skyrocket now. No proxy that Sasikala will leave behind to take care of her interests can match OPS’s image. By the end of Tuesday, he will achieve cult status. The fastest rise to political stardom in India, perhaps after Arvind Kejriwal. In fact, he even rose faster than Kejriwal, who took nearly two years to reach this status.

With Sasikala gone and OPS on the rise, AIADMK will be an altered party

Palaniswami, a known Sasikala loyalist and a five-time MLA, is the party's strongman from Salem district and currently holds the portfolios of Highways, Public Works and Minor Ports. He was a minister in the previous Jayalalithaa-led Cabinet, and also continued with the same portfolios. He was retained in 2016, both by Jayalalithaa and later by her successor Panneerselvam, who has since raised a banner of revolt against Sasikala for allegedly forcing him to step down from chief ministership.

To this, the second judge, Amitava Roy, said, "We are setting aside the high court judgement and restoring the trial court judgement in full. Case against A1 (Jayalalithaa) is abated. All convicted and surrender forthwith."

It took just eight minutes for the Supreme Court to announce its decision that abruptly cut short the political career of VK Sasikala, a long-time companion of former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa, according to a report in NDTV . "You can understand too much of fatty judgement. We have taken the burden on us...we will read out the conclusion," said Justice Pinaki Chandra Bose.

"Every citizen has to be a partner in this sacrosanct mission, if we aspire for a stable, just and ideal social order as envisioned by our forefathers and fondly cherished by the numerous self-effacing crusaders of a free and independent Bharat, pledging their countless sacrifices and selfless commitments for such cause," he said.

Clearly there are two judgements because Justice Amitava Roy wanted to make a forceful extra point on corruption in the country. Those five pages have deepen the value of this judgement. "The attendant facts and circumstances encountered as above, demonstrate a deep rooted conspiratorial design to amass vast assets without any compunction and hold the same through shell entities to cover up the sinister trail of such illicit acquisitions and deceive and delude the process of law. Novelty in the outrages and the magnitude of the nefarious gains as demonstrated by the revelations in the case are, to say the least, startling," Roy noted.

4. Governor recommends President’s rule and elections in less than a year. The most improbable possibility is that the Sasikala faction doesn’t suffer any more erosion and still keep asking for their turn which the Governor may not entertain because the equations and numbers that Sasikala originally claimed have been altered.

3. Even after a reasonable time, either of the factions doesn't get a majority and DMK’s MK Stalin comes up with his claim with the support of the Congress. The Governor may or may not entertain him because numbers are still not enough.

1. More MLAs shift to the OPS camp, but may not be sufficient to prove majority in the Assembly. In such a case, the rump of the Sasikala faction also doesn’t get a chance to form a government.

Palaniswami was elected at a meeting of party MLAs chaired by Sasikala held at a resort, where the legislators have been staying for last few days following the revolt by Panneerselvam.

"Nobody has the authority to elect anybody," was the terse response from School Education Minister K Pandiarajan, a supporter of Panneerselvam. He was responding to reporters' queries to Palaniswami being elected the legislature party leader, hours after the Supreme Court upheld a trial court verdict against AIADMK general secretary Sasikala in a disproportionate assets case.

'Honourable Amma's spirit has saved and directed our state and the people of the state in the right direction. I am thankful for all party members and all who have supported and backed me. It was the people of Tamil Nadu who brought Amma's government to power for the second time. I know that what happened after that. But we know that Amma's spirit is alive and she is leading us in the right direction. The verdict from the Supreme Court has come some time back. My request to everyone is that you remain calm and peaceful.'

OPS asks supporters to remain calm, says Amma's spirit is leading us in right direction | Times Now

Soon after the Sasikala faction elected Edappadi Palanisamy to the new legislature party leader, the staunch Sasikala loyalist sought an appointment with Governor Vidyasagar Rao to prove his majority. According to CNN-News18, Palanisamy is all set to meet the governor at 5.30 pm today.

Though BJP has not made any official comment on the power struggle between caretaker chief minister O Panneerselvam and Palanisamy.

If the new AIADMK leader is not able to create confidence among the people and cadres and is like a "puppet" and a "yes man", then the party should "know that the verdict is a blow to all kinds of manipulation", he said. The state needs a clean and effective government, he said.

"Sasikala has the advantage of being at the top of the party but she does not have the advantage that Jayalalithaa had, which was having people's endorsement. That is a very important factor. By appointing a proxy you can never win people's trust, which is essential," said P Muralidhar Rao, BJP's general secretary and Tamil Nadu in-charge .

Soon after VK Sasikala and her supporters appointed Edappadi Palanisamy as the new legislature party chief, the Bharatiya Janata Party warned Sasikala that picking a proxy won't help her win people's trust.

This is at variance with the strategy adopted by police in 2014, when J Jayalalithaa (the other accused in the disproportionate assets case) was taken into custody soon after a special court in Bengaluru found both Jayalalithaa and Sasikala guilty.

Meanwhile, police sources told Firstpost that security arrangements have been stepped up in anticipation of violence breaking out when Sasikala is taken into custody. Given the fact that Sasikala is now a convict, she cannot be allowed to stay on at the Golden Bay Resort. However, there were no immediate indications that she would be taken into custody today even though a full six hours have passed since the Supreme Court passed its order.

Sasikala's legal team attempted to buy time by filing a petition before the Supreme Court on Tuesday seeking four weeks' time to surrender on "health grounds".

Why did the governor have to wait for the Supreme Court verdict? Even if there was only a day you cannot second guess justice. She (Sasikala) was innocent till proven guilty? What if this verdict was three weeks away or forty days or any other time frame, where and when does the clock start ticking? Governors cannot make decisions predicated to what might happen in court. There is no statute of limitations in the sense that it is okay if there is a decent gap since no one defines the decent gap in days, hours and minutes.

Though Shakespeare himself would have wept in frustration at the intrigues that pretzel the Tamil Nadu political situation and in recent months give rise to suspicions that between the Centre and this southern state and the apathy of the north, situations have been approached and treated in what can best be called a clumsy and oafish manner.

More than the Supreme Court verdict, Sasikala and company face an unassailable charge from which no court or fort can extricate them: the popular belief among party cadre and Jayalalithaa admirers that it was this grisly gang that caused their "dear Amma" much bad name all through. So, Jayalalithaa, though convicted, is now a martyr, a trusting victim of crooked caretakers. And that is the most potent weapon that OPS possesses against Sasikala and company in his fight against the inevitable post-verdict mischief that the family has already started unleashing. Digging into those 75 days of Jayalalithaa's "captivity" in the hospital as also that of the MLAs in the last few days would put the schemers — now without the support of Sasikala who will cool her heels in jail — even more on the back foot.

"Who's Edappadi Palanisamy?" is the question locals who switched off after the DA case verdict this morning are asking as the sun goes down on a cathartic Valentine's Day in Chennai. Riot police in wait for Sasikala at Golden Bay Resort in Kuvathur and a new player called E Palanisamy at Raj Bhavan mean the Sasikala camp will drag this thing out as long as they possibly can. What's a week or two when 20 years have passed?

After he was elected the new legislature party chief, Edappadi Palanisamy met Tamil Nadu Governor Vidyasagar Rao. According to some reports, he claimed to have the support of 126 AIADMK MLAs.

According to CNN-News 18, O Panneerselvam has sought time to prove majority and wants to have a meeting with Governor Vidyasagar Rao.

This is the verdict the DMK has waited for 20 years, their patriarch M Karunanidhi was in his mid seventies at the time the DA case was filed, he’s now on the edge of life and career, his son is battling illness and trying to put on a brave face, their headquarters at Anna Arivalayam is where the fireworks should be blasting into the night sky but it’s eerily quiet there. Instead, wild celebrations are on within the AIADMK at OPS’ residence while police who once fell at Sasikala’s feet are now waiting to ferry her to prison. “If DMK and AIADMK come together to keep Sasikala’s proxies out, it’s not a bad thing at all. We will be relieved, we don't want this chaos to continue, we have had enough,” say Chennaiites.

Eight hours have passed since the verdict and the same Sasikala who said she’s a “lion” is now saying she needs to see a physician — these are all pills she’s popped during the Jaya years. In criminal matters, review petitions are not entertained, say legal experts. How does the common man see this latest delay tactic by Sasikala? "Fairly simple. There's obviously some big money they need to transfer, stuff they need to hide away, that's why she needs the time. How come she did not need a doctor till now when she was threatening OPS and sacking people left right and centre," is the loudest soundbite on Chennai's streets.

Sasikala, because of her proximity to Jayalalithaa, is no stranger to Jaya’s doggedness. Her leaving Poes Garden last night, her being ready with the alibi of “health condition” and asking for four weeks time, the absurd sight of police guarding every inch of Golden Bay Resorts and Sasikala refusing to surface is the special education she’s gotten by just watching Jayalalithaa navigate two decades free as a bird after that outsize wedding in the September of 1995. As of this moment, Sasikala is still inside and the police outside Golden Bay Resorts.

What’s the upside of a court case that goes on for 20 years? You can live almost half a life, for one.

> He was elected elected as the new legislature party head at an emergency meeting called by Sasikala at the Golden Bay Resort on Tuesday within hours of the Supreme Court upholding a Bengaluru trial court order convicting Sasikala in the disproportionate assets case. But who's the new head of the AIADMK party?

> Palanisamy was retained in 2016, both by Jayalalithaa and later by her successor Panneerselvam, who has since revolted against Sasikala for allegedly forcing him to step down from chief ministership.

> He comes from a region that is known for its powerful representation of Gounder community and a stronghold of the AIADMK.

> Palanisamy was close to late J Jayalalithaa. According to The News Minute, Palanisamy was a member of Amma's close coterie of the 'Four Man Army' or Nalvar Ani.

> MLA from Salem's Edappadi constituency, Edappadi Palanisamy currently holds the portfolios of Highways, Public Works and Minor Ports. Was elected in 1989, 1991, 2011 and 2016.

Who is Edappadi Palanisamy: All you need to know about the new AIADMK chief

A 570 page verdict by the Supreme Court has to be followed by a process — it does not mean the cops in Chennai can act immediately. The visuals we are seeing of police swarming around the backwater resort is a preparation for what’s to follow: arrest and transport to jail. But for that to happen, there’s a certain protocol. First, the order has to reach the trial court in Karnataka and then the cops here in Chennai have to have a warrant in hand. That’s what the wait is about. Sasikala’s request for extra time — via a sound bite by some random MLA — will not hold in the face of a warrant. And, if Sasikala wants more time, her lawyers will have to appeal to the Supreme Court. Has that happened? "Not that we know of," says OPS campers.

The Supreme Court verdict on the disproportionate assets case was out at 10.30 am. The skies have stained black since then but Sasikala is still at Golden Bay Resort. Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Police is out there in full force, and there’s a parallel show going on with the politicos zipping in and out of the state's Raj Bhavan. So, is Sasikala is going to spend a sleepless night at Golden Bay Resorts or will she be taken to the jail?

It is obvious she (Sasikala) has caught the illness that inflicts every politician the moment they are caught on the wrong side of the law. The spectre of punishment descends on them like a dreaded ghost, turning them pale, breathless and with a dull pain in the chest. Maybe, someday it will be diagnosed as 'post-punishment depression' or 'pre-incarceration syndrome'.

The Supreme Court directed Sasikala and her two relatives — V N Sudhakaran, Jayalalithaa's foster son, and Elavarasi, widow of Sasikala's elder brother, to "forthwith surrender" before the Bengaluru's trial court which will "take immediate steps" to ensure that all the three "serve out the remainder of sentence awarded to them and take further steps in compliance of this judgement, in accordance with law."

The fact the Supreme Court convicted former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa along with other accused in the case, it is being said that a memorial in her name seems unlikely, CNN-News18 said. Not just that eve her photos have to be removed from the Tamil Nadu Assembly since she has been convicted in the case, it said.

"Emboldened by the lucrative yields of such malignant materialism, the perpetrators of this malady have tightened their noose on the societal psyche. Individual and collective pursuits with curative interventions at all levels are thus indispensable to deliver the civil order from the asphyxiating snare of this escalating venality.”

"A growing impression in contemporary existence seems to acknowledge, the all-pervading pestilent presence of corruption almost in every walk of life as if to rest reconciled to the octopoid stranglehold of this malaise with helpless awe. The common day experiences indeed do introduce one with unfailing regularity, the variegated cancerous concoctions of corruption with fearless impunity gnawing into the frame and fabric of the nation’s essentia.

"The attendant facts and circumstances encountered as above, demonstrate a deep-rooted conspiratorial design to amass vast assets without any compunction and hold the same through shell entities to cover up the sinister trail of such illicit acquisitions and deceive and delude the process of law. Novelty in the outrages and the magnitude of the nefarious gains as demonstrated by the revelations in the case are, to say the least, startling.

"The Mannargudi mafia is not that simple to understand. You can do a PhD on it," says TR Jawahar, group editor, News Today, who has covered Tamil Nadu politics and Jayalalithaa’s reign in great depth. This palpable sense of distaste for the disproportionate assets case accused also finds mention in the tail end of the 570-page judgement in the Supreme Court. Here is an excerpt:

The most common words that pepper replies to this question are "mafia", "goondas", "fear" and "rowdies".

The floor is the best platform to judge the majority of any leader. Let's leave it to the governor's judgement to take a call. But it's very fluid situation in Tamil Nadu. There are enough precedents, politically speaking and of courts. 'What is the governor waiting for?' You should ask the governor. In politics, you go by constitutional propriety. The norm usually is that the chief minister personally handles his resignation to the governor. Did Panneerselvam go to Governor Vidyasagar Rao to handle his resignation? In fact, he later claimed that he was forced to tender the resignation.

"Although A2 to A4 claims to have independent sources of income but the fact of constitution of firms and acquisition of large tracts of land out of the funds provided by A1 indicate that, all the accused congregated in the house of A1 neither for social living nor A1 allowed them free accommodation out of humanitarian concern, rather the facts and circumstances proved in evidence undoubtedly point out that A2 to A4 were accommodated in the house of A1 pursuant to the criminal conspiracy hatched by them to hold the assets of A1."

The damning Supreme Court judgement against Sasikala and troupe certainly helps the OPS cause. Sample this from page 561 of the 570-page ruling (A1 is Jayalalithaa, A2 is Sasikala; A3 is Ilavarasi and A4 is Sudhakaran):

Now, with Sasikala trying the old “health reasons” trick to delay her trip to jail and a new player Edappadi Palanisamy turning up to claim the chief minister's post, OPS remains firm that he will win the floor test. It’s entirely likely that the OPS camp is banking on Governor Vidyasagar Rao to give them some time, now that the Supreme Court verdict has validated the governor’s waiting game in round one of the political drama in Tamil Nadu. The man on the street does not have a problem with that. "They kept Amma in hospital for 75 days, they were in no hurry to tell us what’s going on. What’s the big hurry to swear in a new government? Let the governor take his time," they say.

Even when MLAs hastened slowly, even though his MP crossovers were more and they don’t really matter in the local Assembly, even when Sasikala kept threatening him and calling his a "zero" mocking the "O" in OPS, he stayed smiling and relaxed, although tired. After the Sasikala verdict, all that poise makes total sense.

A week ago, Tamil Nadu watched with astonishment the transformation of the soft-spoken O Panneerselvam into a rebel who could stand Sasikala’s meddling no more. Where did he get his confidence from when he did not even have the numbers? Even today, he has 11 or 12 MLAs with him. Did he know something about how the case verdict may turn out?

"The DA case was filed by DMK and I will handle this. You (MLAs) have to remain resolute and make sure people question DMK's existence."

In her first address to party members and supporters since Supreme Court convicted her in the 20-year-old disproportionate assets case, Sasikala broke down and vowed that no one will be able to separate her from AIADMK.

A signature campaign to turn 'Veda Nilayam', the official residence of late AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa into a memorial, has elicited a huge response from party cadres and the public.

Sasikala's loyalist Edappady K Palanisamy was elected the Legislature Party Leader, a move apparently aimed at projecting him as the next chief minister, while O Panneerselvam, the caretaker chief minister, was sacked from the party's primary membership, the latest in a series of tit-for-tat moves that the two factions have been making.

Sources told NDTV that 61-year-old Sasikala is unlikely to surrender or make herself available on Tuesday for imprisonment because she has not yet received a copy of the lengthy court verdict.

The Supreme Court pronounced its verdict on Tuesday morning sentencing VK Sasikala to prison for the next four years. In a 570-page judgement in the 19-year-old case that also involved J Jayalalithaa, the apex court ordered that Sasikala, 60, a close aide of the late chief minister, surrender forthwith and serve the remaining part of her four-year jail term.

The week-old political drama in Tamil Nadu got some level of closure with the Supreme Court dashing all hopes of Sasikala's political ambitions through its verdict. Here is a look at the key highlights of the day.

"In view of these developments, the impugned interim order of the High Court in putting Shri Kalyan Singh in position as Chief Minister should be and is, hereby, made absolute subject of-course to Democratic process," the Supreme Court had observed on the floor test in 1998.

The term "composite floor test" came into existence when Jagdambika Pal and Kalyan Singh in Uttar Pradesh were asked to go for it by Allahabad High Court. This is an innovation by the court which does not find any constitutional validity. In fact, the appointment of the CM is sole prerogative of Governor as per the constitutional provision.

After almost a week of high optics guard duty at Golden Bay resorts, 30 private guards brought from Mannargudi by Sasikala’s clique have been kicked out by Tamil Nadu’s top police officers clearly relieved at the cloud lifting over the DA case and a semblance of order coming back to the still chaotic administrative arrangements as the AIADMK crisis lurches into its second week. All 56 rooms at the Golden Bay resort are still occupied by Sasikala’s MLAs while Sasikala left late night Tuesday to Poes Garden to deliver a tearful speech before she is ferried to jail in neighbouring Karnataka. No additional crossovers to OPS camp since Tuesday despite the damning Supreme Court verdict.

Known for the way they rule a parallel economy in Tamil Nadu via fear tactics, the Mannargudi mafia will certainly be weakened with Sasikala in jail but it’s clear that Accused # 2 in the DA case is unable to let go, considering the legacy of “ill-gotten” wealth she has been accused of laundering. “There’s a lot of debris left behind, her (Sasikala) going to jail will not end the mafia but will weaken it enough so that it will not remain the brute force it is today”, say Tamil Nadu politicos.

“They can jail me but they can’t jail my heart, I will continue to monitor problems”, said Sasikala, the pivot of the Mannargudi clan manipulating Tamil Nadu’s politics and pelf throughout the most successful years of Jayalalithaa’s years. "You can take me away from AIADMK but you can’t take AIADMK away from me”, she said at Poes Garden late Tuesday night, sending chills down Tamil Nadu voters who were just beginning to relax after the verdict, hoping they don’t have to worry about law and order in the state capital and the rest of Tamil Nadu.

In March 2014, Judge D'Cunha slapped a Rs 60,000 fine on Special Public Prosecutor in the case, G Bhavani Singh for “repeatedly seeking adjournments since January 27, 2014, without justifiable cause.” In less then a year from then, he delivered his verdict holding Jayalalithaa, Sasikala and Ilavarasi guilty of holding disproportionate assets upwards of Rs 66 crore. This is not the first time D'Cunha's style of swift action has found its way to the headlines - in 2004, as a Judicial Magistrate First Class at Hubli, Karnataka, D'Cunha issued a non-bailable warrant against then Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti in connection with her role in the 1994 Hubli riots.

The DA case filed in 1996 slowed almost to a complete halt until 2013 when it picked up pace and hammered away at Jayalalithaa’s health too. That was the same year in which D’Cunha was appointed as Special Judge to dispose of the case. While news media are pouring over the latest 570-page tome, its logical genesis starts way back in 2013-2014.

The aftermath of the DA case verdict has many heroes but in legal circles, it’s a standing ovation for Karnataka High Court additional judge John Michael D’Cunha.

ANI reports that AIADMK said that TTV Dhinakaran has been appointed as the party's deputy general secretary.

There they go again. This is what Sasikala means when she says she'll continue to monitor the party — her nephew TTV Dinakaran is back in the AIADMK as deputy general secretary which is just code for a further elevation soon. He made a special appearance when Sasikala met the Governor last week and is said to have coached her to say the only three words she spoke in English, "I stake claim."

Yet, when you point out that he is looked upon as a "hero" as this message suggests, Acharya laughs in the most embarrassed fashion to say, "No, no. I don’t want to take all that. I sincerely worked as a public prosecutor should do."

And, sections of social media are agog with this line: "This is the time to remember the courage and integrity of (Special Public Prosecutor BV) Acharya and Special Judge Michael D'Cunha but for whom the accused would have got away".

The case lasted 19 years in various courts — from Chennai to Delhi (Supreme Court), to Puducherry and Karnataka. Acharya worked for nine-and-a-half years in a case that has taken almost 21 years to reach some form of finality before the Supreme Court right from the trial court stage.

BV Acharya is the one who has served as the special public prosecutor (SPP) in the disproportionate assets case against late Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa and the closest anyone could have come to the post of chief ministership in Tamil Nadu, VK Sasikala, among other accused.

For those of you who want to cut the chase, below is an excerpt from Page 95 of the 570-page verdict which is the fairly straightforward, non-legalese version of why the main star cast in the DA case is finally heading to jail: “…that to prove conspiracy it is not possible to have direct evidence. The same has to be proved by drawing inferences from the proved circumstances. It is fundamental that the ultimate decision has to be by considering cumulative effect of all the circumstances taken together.”

Jayalalitha did time at this prison for 21 days from September to October 2014, after which her health went into a tailspin, her sugar levels shot up to dangerous levels and she all but disappeared from public gaze.

Unless there’s a meteor strike, VK Sasikala, self-appointed protector of the AIADMK legacy, will leave sometime today from her plush 24,000-square feet mansion in the heart of Chennai’s Mylapore for a cell in the overcrowded Central Prison in Bengaluru also called Parappana Agrahara Central Prison. As of October 2016, this prison is spread over 40 acres and has more than 4,400 inmates despite its official capacity being only 2,200.

"I think people should respect the decision of the Supreme Court. This will however strengthen the roots of democracy and somewhere will bring an end to corruption. Now, the AIADMK will have to decide who will be their party leader and how will their party run. And what face they will show to the people of Tamil Nadu," ANI quoted JD(U) leader Ajay Alok as saying.

Immovable properties Cash paid over and above consideration New or additional construction buildings Gold and diamond jewellery Silver wares Fixed deposits and shares Cash balance in bank accounts Vehicles Machinery Footwear Sarees Wrist watches

Money, dough, cheques, land, loot, cash, houses, cars, diamonds, debt, blings — it covers a lot of ground in 20 years, especially when there are 4 people rolling in it. Even the judges who finally delivered the verdict on the 20-year-old DA case found their heads spinning. So, for convenience, they settled on these below listed 11 broad divisions to figure out the final calculation of disproportionate assets of the accused detailed in Page 98 of the order:

Meanwhile, Sasikala's advocate KTS Tulsi told PTI that she wanted some time to surrender to manage her affairs before going to jail.

The Supreme Court said: "We do not intend to pass any order on this. We are not going to change anything in the judgement."

According to sources, Sasikala has not been arrested yet. She is likely to surrender before Bengaluru court this evening. Sasikala's lawyers had already reached the court. Judge Ashwath Narayana yet to reach.

Next up — expect to hear very soon from the people who were on duty at Veda Nilayam on the day Jayalalithaa was rushed to Apollo Hospital in September 2016. For the OPS camp, that's a sure way to make the Mannargudi mafia tag even more reviled while its kingpin is away.

J Ilavarasi, Sudhakaran, Sasikala will bid goodbye to Veda Nilayam for a longish spell and we are sure to hear soon how they need urgent medical care for their fragile bodies not used to the rigours of a hard life in jail, minus chicken curry and booze. By the time they return to Chennai, Tamil Nadu will be bracing for another Assembly election and the cops outside Jayalalithaa’s home will be there not to welcome them but to shoo them away.

Remember Jayalalithaa’s final journey before the burial on 6 December, 2016? Remember those no-locus freeloaders who climbed on the army vehicle which held Jayalalithaa’s body? You’ll see them again today, stepping out of a house that’s not theirs and into a crowd that doesn’t want them here.

AIADMK is paying the price for the fact that Jayalalithaa left behind no political successor and neither did she get the chance to appoint one.

To counter this problem, personality cult parties often fall back to the formula or succession. Therefore, we find Lalu Yadav try desperately to prop up his sons and Mulayam Singh Yadav stage an elaborate Punch and Judy show to "properly" launch son Akhilesh.

A progeny of the Dravidian movement, AIADMK was from the start a party based on personality cult. It was identified with founder MG Ramachandran who broke away from DMK due to internal differences. His death saw the cult baton being passed to J Jayalalitha after a short but intense battle of succession. Jayalalithaa's death now has created a vacuum because the successors — be it O Panneerselvam, VK Sasikala or Edappadi K Palaniswami — neither have her political acumen or charisma. While all players try desperately to hold on to and claim Jayalalithaa's political legacy, Tamil Nadu's largest political outfit is facing a vertical split and may soon face an existential crisis.

The crisis facing AIADMK is indicative of the fate that awaits political parties built on personality cults instead of an ideological base. The problem is, personality cults never endure, ideas do.

Tamil Nadu’s voters are not particularly keen, though. Sample actor Siddharth's tweet: "Why ask for 4 weeks, why not 4 years time?" in reaction to Sasikala's futile delay tactics citing ill health.

Yet, because of Jaya's political aura and success, her admirers had a totally different equation with her - they see Sasikala as the schemer who misled Jaya. Never in Jayalalithaa’s reign would you have seen her Land Cruiser slow to almost a halt on Poes Garden Road; what we saw today is proof that Sasikala’s alleged authority over the police has been busted. Gritting her teeth and muttering something under her breath, Sasikala banged her right hand hard on the soft and fragrant flowers atop Jayalalithaa’s memorial, it seemed like she promised to fight on.

The crush at Poes Garden when Sasikala finally decided to leave for her appointment in jail is less about her loyalists and grip over the party - it’s a long pending revenge of the cameras on a street that has been the ultimate stonewall for hacks. You can't ask questions, can't take pictures, you'd have to stand in line but half a kilometre away, tender ads would be cancelled if you wrote a line out of place, the list of no-nos at TN's seat of political power was endless.

What does it take to gather two bus loads of cronies and get them to shout slogans in praise? Packed mutton biryani, moonshine and the vague promise of political stakes in the hazy future. Not a big deal for a party, although in crisis, which won big in the Assembly elections less than a year ago.

During the brief hearing today, the bench said that the word 'immediately' has been used in the judgement with regard to the surrender of the convict.

The bench, instead of listing the plea, made clear to the lawyer that it would not consider the plea.

Senior advocate KTS Tulsi, appearing for Sasikala, said that the leader wanted some time to surrender as she has to manage her affairs.

"Sorry. We have already written everything in the fatty judgement and it says forthwith. I am not going to change even a word," the bench said.

"We do not intend to pass any order on this. We are not going to change anything in the judgement," a bench headed by Justice PC Ghose said.

Half the time, we, the petitioners or defendants, do not understand what our lawyers are saying and we just nod in miserable surrender and helplessness.

In this case, with Sasikala facing several years behind bars and Tamil Nadu in political turmoil, just to offer an example (not to mention another 100,000 cases) to illustrate the point, would it not be more sensible to reinvent the English language in the judicial system and use it for maximum benefit as a vehicle for educating the public?

While there is no absence of respect for the right of the judiciary to exercise its writing skills, a germane question would be how important it believes it is to get the message across to the public.

He was arrested in a land grab case in 2012, has been accused of land grabbing, assault and cheating in a whole bunch of cases in 2011 but is out and thriving at his Chennai den. Oddly (and predictably) enough, he was hospitalised in Chennai with a certain “breathing problem” on the same day Sasikala allegedly “pressurised” OPS to step down as Chief Minister. Expect more in the Sasikala family to develop chest pain and breathing problems in the coming weeks.

Sometimes spotted on flights to New Delhi, known to travel overseas often, seen on the rare television interview but more often known as the person who has exerted outsize clout over Poes Garden insiders, he’s next on the radar of the anti-Sasikala group. He showed up suddenly to lay a wreath on Jayalalithaa’s body on 6 December last year and then faded into the shadows as quickly as he surfaced. BJP leader L Ganesan tried to introduce him to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Later, during the last rites, Natarajan, Rahul Gandhi, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Tamil Nadu Congress chief Thirunavukkarasu with far from sombre faces made for quite a photo op.

So, where is this man, known to be all powerful behind the scenes?

He features early on in the DA case files: “Tmt. Sasikala Natarajan is the wife of one Mr. M. Natarajan who had joined Government service as a Publicity Assistant in the Department of Information and Public Relation, Government of Tamil Nadu, in the year 1970 and thereafter promoted in succession eventually as Deputy Director in the year 1986 in the same department. He tendered his resignation from Government service on 1st November, 1988 which was accepted by the Government of Tamil Nadu with retrospective effect on 3rd April, 1991.”

Cold, hard facts in the black and white of court judgments have that welcome quality of stripping popular myths constructed around shadowy people. One such is Sasikala’s husband - M Natarajan.

This development comes after AIADMK MLA Saravanan alleged that he was kidnapped at the resort.

There were many other lines as well, none charitable to Sasi, reflecting the popular mood of the State. — News Today

There was one saying 'Ongi adicha ondra tonnu weightu da' (a reference to the iconic dialogue from Suriya's Singam, roughly translating to mean: If I bend and thump you, you'll feel the weight of one and a half tonne).

Sasikala arrived at the Jaya memorial all solemn (and also sore-looking) and as she bent down in silent prayer, everything looked normal. And then, when she leaned forward and thumped the flower-bedecked tomb of Jayalalithaa with her open palm three times, things became typically Tamil Nadu.

As if there was dearth of drama all along, VK Sasikala provided more moments of theatre at the Jaya Memorial at the Marina, which she visited en route to Bengaluru where she is expected to give herself up in a court.

Before leaving for Bengaluru, VK Sasikala vowed to return to politics. She made a quick but dramatic stop at Jaya memorial, MGR's residence.

Suspense has been quelled as Sasikala's whereabouts have been ascertained. But a couple of hours ago things weren't so clear. Anything but, in fact..."

People who’ve been operating from dark alleys of Tamil Nadu are now on the main street, openly daring OPS. Edappadi Palaniswamy is just a front and he's on his way to Raj Bhavan — the AIADMK's favourite evening haunt for coffee, biscuits and to belt out their favorite opening line: "I stake claim."

Natarajan’s landing up in Bengaluru has sent a loud message to the OPS camp and Tamil Nadu's voters who may have been lulled into thinking it's game up for the Mannargudi mafia, but Sasikala’s rule by proxy is a real and present threat.

It’s Barrack Number 20 at Parappana Agraharam Central Prison for VK Sasikala. She’s inside while her husband Natarajan and her large extended family with its long and murky history of cases pending against them are all out there roaming free.

Sasikala threat for OPS far from over: Mannargudi mafia breaks out of shadows, heads to Raj Bhavan

There are stories that end and there are stories that are mere beginnings. Exactly 10 days ago, when O Panneerselvam checked in at Jayalalithaa’s memorial on Marina beach, sat in silence for 40 minutes and then lambasted Sasikala, Tamil Nadu was stunned and elated. Numbers did not matter at that moment. The rebellion was enough. Ten days later, Sasikala is in jail and still on the brink of power. Her side led by proxy Edappadi Palanisamy has the numbers, OPS has all of 11 MLAs where 117 is the minimum magic number to win control of the state legislature. Sasikala’s nephew Dhinakaran is back as an AIADMK power broker so that all instructions from the Bengaluru prison become his official business. Likewise, Sasikala’s husband M Natarajan, after years in the wilderness, is back on the prowl, now that Jayalalithaa is out of the way. These are all people who would not dare show up anywhere in Jayalalithaa’s range of vision, today’s they’re crawling all over.

As Sasikala settled in at Bengaluru's Parappana Agrahara central jail day after the Supreme Court convicted her in a corruption case, her loyalist Edappadi Palaniswami called on Governor Vidayasagar Rao for the second time. His challenger to the post of the chief minister, O Panneerselvam, followed soon after. Speaking to CNN-News18, sources said that the governor, who has been conspicuous by his silence so far, may call for a floor test on Friday. It was not immediately clear whether the floor test would be a composite one, as advised by Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi.

Sources indicate that Raj Bhavan's invite could go out to Palanisamy by Thursday noon and the swearing-in ceremony could even take place the same day.

Sources say Rao himself is keen to put an end to this stalemate that has lasted ten days now. Personally he is in favour of inviting Palanisamy to form the government and ask him to prove his majority on the floor of the House within 24 to 48 hours. But the pitch has been queered by Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi who has suggested a composite floor test to be conducted between Panneerselvam and Palanisamy even though it is only the Supreme court that can order it. The governor reportedly is not convinced that the situation in Chennai warrants a composite floor test.

Edapadi Palanisamy has conveyed to Rao that he has the support of 124 MLAs, which is seven above the half way mark of 117. O Panneerselvam has not presented any numbers but it is obvious he has only ten legislators on his side. The fact that Raj Bhavan is still engaging with Panneerselvam is proof that a political farce is being played out in Chennai.

Is 124 greater than 10 or is it the other way round? All of Wednesday night, Governor Vidyasagar Rao sought the answer to this question in the land of Ramanujam. On it hinges how soon Tamil Nadu will get its new government.

A prison official told journalists that the long-time confidante of the late J Jayalalithaa will make candles in jail. Sasikala surrendered to the trial court set up in the prison along with her sister-in-law Elavarasi and nephew VN Sudhakaran, all of whom were held guilty along with the late Jayalalithaa by the apex court on Tuesday of having assets disproportionate to their known sources of income.

Former AIADMK General Secretary Sasikala, convicted in the disproportionate assets case by the Supreme Court, on Wednesday returned to the Bengaluru jail as the battle for supremacy in the AIADMK continued in Tamil Nadu. Sasikala, 59, was sent to a women's cell in the Central Jail soon after she reached Bengaluru in a convoy from Chennai after her plea for more time to surrender was rejected by the Supreme Court.

The jail is just off the highway that connects Chennai to Bengaluru.

Bangalore Central Jail, also known as Parappana Agrahara central jail, is the largest and the most crowded in Karnataka. It is spread over an area of 40 acres and houses 4,400 inmates, twice its capacity. Established in 1997, the Bangalore Central jail is located in a suburb called 'Parappana Agrahara' in south-east Bengaluru.

Soon after her surrender, Sasikala was registered as qaidi number 9235, while Ilavarasi, her niece, was given the number 9236. Sasikala, who almost became the chief minister of Tamil Nadu last week, will be put up in cell number 2, which she will share with other inmates. News18 reported that male prisoners in the jail dress in white coarse cotton shirts and pyjamas, while the women wear sarees. Sasikala and Ilavarasi will be given three saris each, the channel further said.

Even at the prison, where police and AIADMK activists scuffled on Wednesday, Sasikala sought more time to serve the jail term but the judge rejected her request and told her to undergo a health check-up.

All four were lodged in the same prison for three weeks from September 27, 2014 after the trial court sentenced them. They later got bail from the Karnataka High Court.

In 2014, Sasikala, with her nephew V N Sudhakaran and sister-in-law Ilavarasi, had spent 21 days in Parappana Agrahara central jail. Sudhakaran and Ilavarasi are the co-convicts in the disproportionate assets case. At the time, the jail played host to J Jayalalithaa too, who was serving a term at the same place after being sentenced to four years by a special court that tried all four of them.

Sasikala and Ilavarasi would share a small cell in women's block in the jail, Rao said. He said Sasikala would get normal food, not home food, but it would be according to the doctor's advice. Sudhakaran would also be sharing the cell with other inmates, he said.

Sasikala will be in jail for three years and about 11 months out of the four years sentence awarded by the trial court, DG (Prisons) Sathyanarayana Rao told PTI. She had earlier spent 21 days in Parappana Agrahara jail after conviction by the trial court in September 2014.

Yasin Bhatkal — co-founder of terror group Indian Mujahideen — is scheduled to be brought to the same jail in connection with the Chinnaswamy Stadium blast, reports said.

E Palanisami has conveyed to Rao that he has the support of 124 MLAs, on the other hand, Team O Panneerselvam is confident of winning the floor test. "Panneerselvam will also be given a chance, most of the MLAs are not interested in supporting Sasikala, they are supporting Panneerselvam," says Durai Pandian, AIADMK, Panneerselvam’s camp.

Tamil Nadu Governor C Vidyasagar Rao has assured supporters of Sasikala that he will announce his decision today (Thursday). "If Governor invites us, swearing in can happen today itself," Sasikala camp sources were quoted as saying by News18. In fact, the channel confirmed that the governor will meet Palanisami at 11.30 today morning.

According to AIAMDK leader in the Panneerselvam camp, the appointment of TTV Dinakaran as the party's Deputy General Secretary by Sasikala is void. "As per party bylaw only a person who is a party member for five continuous years can hold any party post. Dinakaran was not a member of the party for the past several years. He was dismissed from the party by Jayalalithaa," he added.

On Wednesday evening, AIADMK's leader of the legislature party Palanisamy and Panneerselvam met Rao separately. After the meeting AIADMK Presidium Chairman KA Sengottaiyan expressed confidence that the Governor would soon invite Palanisamy to form the government. Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar too echoed similar views post Rao's meeting.

Soon after the death of Jayalalithaa, thousands of AIADMK cadres rallied behind Jayakumar and wanted her to enter politics. According to the AIADMK leader, who spoke to IANS on the condition of anonymity, the political impasse in the state may end in a couple of day's time. "Yesterday (Wednesday) when we met the Governor, we reiterated the point that majority of AIADMK legislators are held in captivity at the beach resort and if they are freed then support for our leader would swell," he said.

Tamil Nadu Governor Rao will meet Edappadi Palanisamy and five other ministers at Raj Bhavan at 11.30 am today. "E Palanisamy will be next the chief minister. It is a great news," Apsara Reddy, AIADMK spokesperson told CNN-News18.

Speaking to News18 , BJP leader Subramanian Swamy said, "First Sasikala, and now Palanisami have produced the list. Panneerselvam has not been able to produce a list even now. It has become a national disgrace that Vidyasagar Rao took so much time to do what should have been done earlier. His friends played on his emotions. I have no doubt about his integrity, but he is a bit sentimental about friendships. The Centre said they wouldn’t take an official stand. It is between the governor and the President, and the Constitution."

As information about Palanisamy meeting the governor spread beyond the limits of Chennai, reactions started pouring in.

Playing down the meeting between Edappadi Palanisamy and Governor C Vidyasagar Rao, a minister from the O Panneerselvam camp said that it is not a big deal. "We anticipated this," Durai Pandian told CNN-News18. Meanwhile, the channel claimed that the swearing-in of the new chief minister will likely take place on Thursday evening in Raj Bhavan.

Hailing it as the victory for Amma, the Sasikala and/or the Palanisamy camp of AIADMK celebrated after Governor Vidyasagar Rao formally invited Edappadi Palanisamy to form the government. Rao, however, gave Palanisamy time of 15 days to prove majority on the floor of the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

The law was added via the 52nd Amendment Act, 1985, soon after the Rajiv government came to power with a thumping majority in the wake of the assassination of former prime minister Indira Gandhi. The Congress had won 401 seats in the Lok Sabha.

"The Tenth Schedule — popularly known as the Anti-Defection Act — was included in the Constitution in 1985 by the Rajiv Gandhi ministry and sets the provisions for disqualification of elected members on the grounds of defection to another political party."

But it is over for OPS. The only way OPS comes out on top after this debacle id if the defected leader is able to prove a two-thirds majority on the floor of the House in a floor test 15 days later. If he fails and abstains from appearing in Assembly after the dealine is over, OPS and supporting MLAs will be disqualified under the anti-defection law.

After Governor C Vidyasagar Rao formally invited Edappadi Palaniswami to form the government in Tamil Nadu — effectively making him the new chief minister of the state — supporters of O Panneerselvam, who heads the losing faction of AIADMK, said that it's not over yet. ANI tweeted that V Maitreyan from OPS camp is going to meet the Election Commission in Delhi this afternoon.

- Sasikala Pushpa had told the Commission that the elevation of Sasikala as the general secretary of the party was carried out in an "undemocratic manner". - VK Sasikala has been Jayalalithaa's closest aide since the 1980s. She has been taking care of party affairs, although she never held any formal position in the AIADMK before Jayalalithaa's death.

- The full bench of Election Commission of India will conduct enquiry today at 2.45 pm on the validity of appointment of VK Sasikala as General Secretary of AIADMK based on the complaint of Sasikala Pushpa RS MP and Mathusoothanan. This outcome will decide the validity of Sasikala's actions as general secretary. - On 8 February, EC had sent a communication to AIADMK asking them to explain what rules of their constitution were followed to appoint the general secretary after certain complaints were raised to EC. However, no deadline has been given to them to explain the matter.

OPS can still bring the current government down by poaching MLAs, which leaves the governor with only one choice: Impose President's Rule in Tamil Nadu and hold fresh elections in six months or a year. But this option is highly unlikely. It will require big political players to show their clout and convince the eight MLAs to leave the EPS camp — which will be in power for the next four years — and bring down the government just to go for fresh elections.

OPS could still try to win it back, but it will be a tough one. OPS needs eight more MLAs to bring down Palaniswami's newly-formed government (EPS has 124 MLAs, if OPS can coax 8 out of them to defect, the count goes down to 116, which is one less than the majority of 117). However, it is an uphill task for OPS as MLAs will not defect unless there is a sure chance of winning.

It seems unlikely, but there's still a window of hope for Panneerselvam.

The law on elected legislators is clear: They can't break away unless they new faction has the support of at least two-third of the elected members. So, in Panneerselvam's case, he can trigger a rebellion only if he has at least 100 legislators. Given that he has just around a dozen MLAs in his camp, a split in the AIADMK looks unlikely.

The governor's decision ensures that either Panneerselvam goes out and breaks the AIADMK with the support of at least two-third legislators or loses his Assembly seat. His third option is, of course, to go back to the AIADMK and become its loyal servant again, provided the powers that control the party forgive and forget.

With the governor's decision to invite Palanisamy — a proxy nominated by VK Sasikala's camp after Chinnamma's incarceration — to form the next government, the acting chief minister faces a dark future that may end into oblivion.

Unless a miracle saves him or his supporters spill out on the streets, this looks like the end of O Panneerselvam — the courtier who wanted to be the king. On Thursday, Tamil Nadu Governor C Vidyasagar Rao ended the stalemate and power games in the state by inviting E Palaniswami to form the government. He has been given 15 days to prove his majority in the Assembly.

In many ways, the denouement appears rational and justified. Panneerselvam was a proxy for J Jayalalithaa. After her demise, he had staked claim to her legacy citing his loyalty to the late CM. But, his current innings seems to have ended with the former CM. Courtiers and proxies often meet this end.

This means if Panneerselvam and his supporters violate the AIADMK whip to support Palaniswami's government in case of a floor test, they could be expelled from the Assembly. So, if Panneerselvam wishes to remain a member of the legislature, he would have to obey the diktat of the new high command.

"However, if there is any overt act of either joining any other political party voluntarily or defies any whip of any political party then he will attract the provision of the 10th Schedule and action can be taken against him by the Speaker," the government clarified.

Though Panneerselvam has been expelled from the party, he will continue to remain under the control of the party. In 2016, the government had clarified in the Supreme Court that upon expulsion from a political party, there is no automatic disqualification under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution from legislative assembly or Parliament and that member will continue as an unattached member as per the direction of the Speaker.

Perhaps the road to Jayalalithaa's legacy was jinxed. Everybody who tried to claim got scalded: Sasikala went to jail, the BJP got checkmated and Panneerselvam might disappear into oblivion.

If Sasikala decides to avenge her humiliation by the Centre and decides to join the anti-BJP camp, it would turn out to be a lose-lose situation for everybody who supported Panneerselvam and thwarted Chinnamma's dream.

With Palaniswami in the driver's seat and the remote firmly in Sasikala's hand, it would be interesting to see how the new government deals with the BJP-led Centre. The Centre needs the government's support for getting its candidate elected as the next President of India. The AIADMK numbers are crucial also in the Rajya Sabha, where the government is currently outnumbered by the Opposition.

O Panneerselvam story is temporarily over. He managed to tap into the anti-Sasikala sentiment but could not convince enough MLAs to jump ship. But with Mannargudi family still well entrenched in party and maybe even in the government, it gives OPS hope to rally AIADMK cadre around himself and position as an anti-AIADMK voice.

Story over for OPS: But he could be a strong anti-AIADMK voice in Tamil Nadu

All AIADMK MLAs are ready, and governor C Vidyasagar Rao has reached Raj Bhavan to administer the oath of office to new Chief Minister E Palaniswami and 30 ministers part of his new Cabinet.

Newly sworn in Tamil Nadu chief minister E Palaniswamy and his 30 Cabinet members to visit 'Amma' memorial at Marina Beach, and may even visit VK Sasikala, lodged in a prison in Bangalore.

Media is reporting that other than new chief minister E Palaniswami and his Cabinet, who are heading to 'Amma' memorial, the remainder of the 100-odd MLAs may be heading back to the Golden Bay resort, which is where they will stay until the date for the floor test is announced by the Assembly.

AIADMK General Secretary VK Sasikala spent a tough first night in jail, as she was unable to sleep and was restless at night. As the trial court denied Sasikala's demand for some privileges, including home food, she refused to have supper on Wednesday night though she was served two rotis, one ragi ball, 200 gms of rice and 150 gm of sambar, like all other inmates. "When Saskiala's sister-in-law and co-convict Elavarasi cajoled her to have food in view of her weak health, she took rice with sambar and butter milk," a jail source said. The judge also rejected Sasikala's request for a special room for prayers and yoga and an attached toilet-cum-bathroom.

Media analysts and experts believe the big mistake caretaker chief minister O Panneerselvam made was to trust that the rebel MLAs would back him after VK Sasikala's conviction came through. But considering almost half of them were first-time MLAs who didn't fancy the prospect of facing another round of elections, they chose to go with safety in numbers. And that may have helped keep the AIADMK party together, and send E Palaniswami to the chief minister's chair.

Within 24 hours of VK Sasikala going behind bars, her proxies are front and centre in Tamil Nadu as state's voters struggle to come to terms with this bitter harvest. Cartoonists for Tamil rags are having a busy day, every headline screams: "Sasikala's cunning strategy pays off, she rules from jail".

DMK leader, MK Stalin has congratulated the Edappadi Palaniswami government, however, he reminded the new chief minister of Tamil Nadu to remember his oath while carrying out his official duties.

After the oath ceremony, the AIADMK MLAs headed to the Golden Bay Resort, ANI said. Meanwhile, according to the news agency, the Tamil Nadu Assembly will convene on 18 February and a floor test will take place on the same day.

The news report also said that the MLA has pledged to join the OPS camp.

AIADMK's MLA from Mylapore M Natarajan has reportedly refused to vote for the newly appointed Chief Minister E Palaniswami ahead of the Saturday's floor test, according to India Today TV.

Madusudanan also announced the "expulsion" of TTV Dinakaran and S Venkatesh. He said Jayalalithaa had earlier (in 2011) expelled them from the party for "betraying" her. "Their re-induction, done without any authority, is being cancelled," he said.

"VK Sasikala is being removed from the party's primary membership for going against the party principles and ideals, and having violated her promise to Amma (Jayalalithaa), besides facing criminal cases. She has brought disrepute to the party," he said in a statement.

In his statement, E Madusudhanan alleged that Sasikala "violated" her promise to Jayalalithaa that she will not enter politics and that she had no inclination to be a part of the party or government.

But the EPS camp is confident as all its MLAs are still at the resort. The OPS camp claims several of them have been threatened with dire consequences if they defy Sasikala. Everything will then depend on how they vote on Saturday.

Interestingly, state BJP leaders have been in touch with Panneerselvam since Thursday. On Friday, Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan said it is unlikely that Palaniswami will stay CM after Saturday's floor test.

It may be a touch and go with Mylapore MLA R Natraj, former DGP saying he will go with what the people want.

The story clearly isn't over yet in Tamil Nadu. The effort of the OPS camp is now to somehow ensure E Palaniswami (EPS) loses the trust vote on Saturday.

Reacting to that, Panneerselvam had said smiling at another human being is one of the qualities that differentiates humans from animals.

The strange advice came just a few days after AIADMK General Secretary V.K. Sasikala had noted that former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam had smiled at Stalin — and cited that as one of the reasons for asking him to step down.

The assembly has been convened on Saturday where Palaniswami with 125 legislators in his camp will seek the confidence of the house for his government.

After holding hectic discussions at Panneerselvam's residence on Friday morning, a small group of AIADMK leaders met the Speaker in the Secretariat and demanded secret ballot on Saturday.

Panneerselvam's camp has demanded secret ballot on Saturday when the motion of confidence is moved in the assembly, leaders said.

One, It has a razor thin majority now. Any conflict and Palaniswami will have to ensure that he keeps the entire flock happy. Apart from cabinet berths, he will have to ensure the MLAs are rewarded with plum posts of chairmen of corporations.

Will the AIADMK survive the next four years and stay in power? It looks extremely difficult because there are too many factors that are not in its control.

Will the AIADMK survive the next four years and stay in power?

Following Nataraj's about turn at the last minute, Palaniswami's support base is down to 124 legislators.

AIADMK legislator representing Mylapore constituency and former Director General of Police (DGP) R Nataraj on Friday said he would vote against Palaniswami.

There is immense chaos in the House at the moment. The speaker has denied the request to defer the floor test to another day.

The Tamil Nadu Assembly has been adjourned till 1 pm. According to CNN News18, chairs were thrown at Speakers podium and complete pandemonium persisted in the Assembly. The voting has been postponed in this light.

After the House was reconvened at 1 pm, the DMK MLAs were expelled by the Speaker for their earlier unruly and violent behaviour. The DMK MLAs protesting this expulsion and are refusing to leave.

This is the second time the Assembly has been adjourned during the special session that was called to conduct a floor test. Earlier, the House was adjourned till 1 pm after a violent outburst by the DMK MLAs who demanded a secret ballot and deferment of the floor-test. However, these requests were denied.

The chief minister won the motion, but the voting was conducted without the DMK which was seeking secret ballot in the first place.

An FIR has been filed against DMK working president MK Stalin, 63 party MLAs, 3 MPs and cadres for holding a protest at Marina beach against the alleged attack on him and his MLAs during the trust vote in the Assembly.

DMK leaders met with the governor on Sunday and submitted a memorandum on Saturday's floor test. Speaking to media, DMK Rajya Sabha MP T Siva said, "We've submitted a memorandum on the issue to TN Governor; He has promised to look into the matter. Sans participation of Opposition in Assembly, the trust vote moved by CM was passed; It's illegal."

AIADMK Deputy General Secretary TTV Dinakaran has reached the Bengaluru Central Jail and will be meeting VK Sasikala, who has been jailed in the disproportionate assets case for four years, reports NDTV.

Earlier in the day, Palaniswami 'did a J Jayalalithaa' by deciding to close down 500 more Tasmac liquor shops just like his leader had done when she returned to power in May 2016.Among his other decisions was to announce a housing scheme to build 5,000 independent homes for fisherfolk, implementation of an election promise to give working women a 50 percent subsidy to buy a vehicle and an in emolument for pregnant women from Rs 12,000 to Rs 18,000, which will benefit six lakh women.

AIADMK Deputy General Secretary TTV Dinakaran has reached the Bengaluru Central Jail and will be meeting VK Sasikala, who has been jailed in the disproportionate assets case for four years, reports NDTV.

Earlier in the day, Palaniswami 'did a J Jayalalithaa' by deciding to close down 500 more Tasmac liquor shops just like his leader had done when she returned to power in May 2016.Among his other decisions was to announce a housing scheme to build 5,000 independent homes for fisherfolk, implementation of an election promise to give working women a 50 percent subsidy to buy a vehicle and an in emolument for pregnant women from Rs 12,000 to Rs 18,000, which will benefit six lakh women.

There is no secret ballot in parliament and assembly, only during elections it is followed: Panrutti Ramachandran, Senior AIADMK leader pic.twitter.com/4xUQfZYXVR

Panrutti Ramachandran said that there is no secret ballot in the Parliament or Assembly, it is used only during elections. The reason it is not used in the Parliament and Assembly is to prevent defection.

The DMK cadre observed hunger strike in all district offices across Tamil Nadu protesting eviction of DMK MLAs from the state Assembly on Saturday, 18 February.

Massive security arrangements have been put in place across Tamil Nadu to prevent untoward incidents during the protests.

“When we see that the Speaker is deliberately harping on his community to maligns us, it is very regrettable. It is a matter of shame, according to us, for Tamil Nadu,” Stalin had said.

On Tuesday, MK Stalin had said that the DMK would move a no confidence motion against P Dhanapal. This response came after P Dhanapal claimed that he was specifically targetted by the DMK for hailing for a particular community.

Have proof that AIADMK MLAs were kept at Golden Bay resort for 11 days& also that many filed complaint about being caged: Advocate K. Balu pic.twitter.com/auese3hvGi

Advocate K Balu said that AIADMK MLAs were kept at Golden Bay resort for 11 days and that many had filed a complaint about being caged.

Amidst the growing suspense over the pending Supreme Court verdict on VK Sasikala's involvement in the disproportionate assets case and Attorney General's advice for a floor test, here are the key highlights on how the Tamil Nadu political crisis took shape on the seventh day.

1) SC verdict to decide Sasikala's political course on Tuesday

After much wait, a bench of Justices PC Ghose and Amitava Roy is likely to pronounce the judgement at 10.30 am on Tuesday on a batch of appeals, including the one filed by the Karnataka government against the high court verdict acquitting prime accused Jayalalithaa and her close aide (and now AIADMK general secretary and legislature party head) Sasikala in the Rs 66 crore disproportionate assets case.

Prosecution lawyer tells NDTV that verdict would be given on Sasikala one way or the other.

2) Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi advises floor test

After the Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi's opinion was consulted on Saturday, the A-G advised Governor Vidyasagar Rao to conduct a floor test within a week. If Rao heeds his advice, this will be the first time that the two chief ministerial candidates will face a direct face-off and the numbers will determine the ultimate results.

Sources said that the opinion was sought by Rao from the Attorney General who has cited the 1998 Supreme Court judgement in the Jagdambika Pal case in which the apex court had ordered a floor test in the Assembly to determine who among the two claimants — Jagdambika Pal and Kalyan Singh — had the majority for chief ministership of Uttar Pradesh.

The opinion, the sources said, has stated that "he (Governor) should call a special session within a week's time and have a composite floor test as was ordered by the Supreme Court in the Jagdambika Pal case". The opinion on floor test was given as the two claimants are from the same party and they will be pitted against each other to determine who commands majority support in the Assembly, the sources said.

3) Sasikala visits 'detained' MLAs, will stay with them

Ahead of the verdict, Sasikala visited the five-star Golden Bay resort where many of the MLAs who are supporting her have been touted to be detained forcibly. She conducted a press meet where she broke down repeatedly while saying she was asked by people to carry on Amma's legacy. She also said that she would move out of Poes Garden soon to stay with her supporters at the resort.

The resort has been blocked to the public and the media but according to NDTV, Sasikala has denied holding lawmakers hostage in an extreme measure to check defection. According to The Times of India, the MLAs had complete freedom to move about the resort.

Earlier, MLA Mohan Guruswamy had posted a video where he is seen enjoying at the resort. In a tearful address to the 129 MLAs at the resort, Sasikala urged the legislators to help capture the secretariat for the party. She also revealed the final words that Jayalalithaa spoke to her were, "No one can destroy our party," before adding that she would sacrifice her life for the party.

4) Sasikala reveals Amma's last words

Sasikala on Monday said she had come to know of a conspiracy being hatched to divide the party after the death of the former chief minister of Tamil Nadu in December. Defying all inhibitions, a composed Sasikala told The Indian Express that she and Jayalalithaa together had seen 1,000 such ‘Panneerselvams’ so she is not scared.”

Speaking in front of a few supporters at the Poes Garden, and later at the Golden Bay resort, Sasikala was seen evoking memories of Amma's political journey in order help to garner people's sympathy towards her as the suffering loyalist.

"With the party having a cadre strength of 1.5 crore no 'komban' (person with great skills) can break the AIADMK," she told the cheering crowd.

"The party cadres are with me," she said, adding, "As long as the cadres are with me and with Amma's blessings, an AIADMK government will be in place.

5) Swamy says Governor under 'compulsion to cause delay'

BJP leader and Rajya Sabha member Subramanian Swamy on Monday said that Governor Rao should invite Sasikala to form the next government. Swamy also clarified that considering Sasikala has the majority, constitutionally she can form the government under the Constitution's Article 191.

According to India Today, Swamy was "certain" that a few Union Ministers were interfering with the political affairs of the state of Tamil Nadu while the AIADMK is busy infighting. Following his allegation, Swamy filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court on Monday seeking appointment of Sasikala as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu.

He says that even Soli Sorabjee has agreed that the governor cannot delay Sasikala's swearing-in indefinitely. Swamy also said that a constitutional breakdown in Tamil Nadu has happened because of the governor's delay in swearing in Sasikala.

However, while speaking with India Today, Sorabjee stated that "the Governor is well within his rights to defer the swearing-in for a few days particularly when the (verdict in the) disproportionate assets case, involving Sasikala, is imminent". However, Sorabjee warned against any indefinite delay as it may promote horse trading.

On the other hand, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said that considering this political crisis is an internal matter of the state, the Centre cannot do much about it.

6) Different camps vouch support for their leaders

AIADMK MP R Parthiban representing Theni district called on Panneerselvam at his residence in Chennai on Sunday evening and offered his support, taking the total number of Parliamentarians in his favour to 11. Meanwhile, a Panneerselvam supporter MP V Maithreyan also met the governor on the same day.

However, according to The Economic Times, party spokesperson Vaigai Chelvan said O Panneerselvam had the support of seven MLAs and therefore cannot prove his majority in the state Assembly in the event of a floor test.

"He says he can prove his majority based on the wrong information given by someone. The majority of the AIADMK MLAs are with Chinnamma (Sasikala) and we are ready to prove our strength (in a floor test)," he told reporters. To a question on 11 MPs switching over to the camp of Panneerselvam, Vaigai Chelvan expressed confidence that they would return to the Sasikala fold.

Two ministers, including Madurai MP R Gopalakrishnan and MLA Saravanan joined Panneerselvam's camp on Monday night. Meanwhile, there was a security breach at Kanimozhi's house where masked men who entered the house for robbery. The man, who entered the house just after Kanimozhi left for a DMK party meeting with M K Stalin, was arrested.

To read all updates on the current political crisis in Tamil Nadu till 13 February, click here.