When O Panneerselvam came out after the probe panel’s marathon probe into J Jayalalithaa’s death on Monday evening, he must have heaved a sigh of exhaustion, not relief.
It must have been a tiring day for the 71-year-old. But what is even more disturbing is that his undertaking to claim foul play in Jayalalithaa’s death is turning out to be a zero-sum game. He told the commission on Monday that he was not aware of the circumstances surrounding his death, the events at Apollo Hospital, or his health complications, except that he suffered severe diabetes. According to sources aware of his statement before the commission, Panneerselvam said that he “wanted to take Jayalalithaa abroad for treatment” but it was turned down by the then Health Minister C Vijayabaskar and a top Apollo Hospital official.
In short, Panneerselvam told the commission that it would not be of much use to his mandate to ascertain the exact circumstances of Jayalalithaa’s death. Panneerselvam has been summoned again on Tuesday but no significant entry is likely.
Five years ago, however, Panneerselvam painted a different picture. He claimed that there was reason to believe that his death needed an investigation. In fact, he made the setting up of an inquiry panel one of the conditions for the merger of his faction with the Edappadi Palaniswami group, which was governing the AIADMK government after Jayalalithaa.
The reason for this bitter face is the alternating political currents in Tamil Nadu. Panneerselvam’s political fortunes have changed dramatically in the last five years. Her expulsion from the post of Chief Minister following Jayalalithaa’s death in February 2017, her famous rebellion against VK Sasikala and family (the Jaya inquiry panel was the result of rebellion), her expulsion from the party after Palaniswami became a Numero Uno within the party, Palaniswami’s Merged with, and now, in an uneasy struggle with them to share power over a beleaguered party.
She has only had two brief stints as chief minister: twice between 2001 and 2015 when Jayalalithaa’s legal battles prevented her from continuing in the post, and once when she was in hospital before her death. Both times, he was a stand-in for Jayalalithaa.
Sasikala, whom she strongly opposed, has been cordial towards Panneerselvam. He had also said that the party would consider including him again if the conditions were accepted. With a friend becoming his only enemy and limited political support beyond his army in southern Tamil Nadu, Panneerselvam is likely to operate at low profits in the days to come.
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