Sorry, Sasikala! You don’t have the popular mandate!

When Amma was alive, she hardly trusted you. She knew your design and hunger for power. That’s the reason she had even sacked you from the party before taking you back when you apologized. Did Amma not know you better over the years. That’s why she installed O Pannerselvam as the Chief Minister at least thrice when she was in trouble. And, when she died, you did not dare to take over. Rather, you waited for the right moment to overthrow OPS in a bloodless coup and assume charge.

Dear Sasikala, you may still win over the MLAs, who have no other options but to go with the tide. They can’t afford or dare to revolt against you. They know they would be finished if they do so. Number game may in your favour, but not the popular mandate. It would be difficult for you to convince the people of Tamil Nadu for whom Amma was supreme and OPS represents her legacy, not you.

You are an administrator, not a politician. You have no connect with the ground reality. You never went to people to seek their mandate. Still, you want to rule, taking advantage of Amma’s demise. Chinnamma can’t become Amma. You will realise it when you would see people hitting the streets against you sooner or later. And, you are giving a long rope to DMK, which suffered a crushing defeat due to Amma’s hard efforts.

A person with no political experience and corruption cases pending against her, is aspiring to be the Chief Minister without further wait. Where was the urgency, dear Sasikala? What was the immediate compulsion? You could have waited for a year or so by allowing a soft OPS to continue. Well, the damage is done. But, it would have far-reaching consequences. Hope you are not blamed for AIADMK’s decline in Tamil Nadu politics!