The thunderous showers that brought Bangalore to its knees on Friday have failed to dampen the loyalty of AIADMK workers, with the city expected to be flooded with party members for the D-Day in the long-drawn legal battle involving Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.
A special court here strikes the hammer of justice in her ‘disproportionate assets’ case on Saturday, the twists and turns of which have kept Tamil Nadu on tenterhooks for over 18 years.
All eyes at the Parappana Agrahara prison complex, where the judgment is set to be pronounced, would be on the AIADMK supremo, who is expected to reach Bangalore by a special flight on Saturday morning.
She will move by road to the court though a helipad had been kept ready to accommodate last-minute changes.
Police forces from both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, which have seen bitter water wars in the past, will provide unprecedented security to Ms. Jayalalithaa, who would witness a crucial moment of her political career in a State which was originally her birthplace.
From high-ranking Ministers to ordinary workers, the AIADMK entourage accompanying Ms. Jayalalithaa may run into thousands, police sources say.
Reflecting their diversity, there was a deluge of accommodation bookings in the city, both at five-star hotels and lesser-known lodging houses, upping the workload for the police force.
The early birds who reached Bangalore on Friday included Higher Education Minister P. Palaniappan and Revenue Minister R.B. Udhaya Kumar.
They did a reconnaissance of all the security arrangements made for the three-time Chief Minister even as police officers from Tamil Nadu were closeted with their counterparts in Bangalore to discuss the protection blanket.
A source said majority of Tamil Nadu Cabinet members, MPs and several MLAs of the AIADMK were expected to make their way into Bangalore by Friday night.
“All arrangements for huge celebrations in case of an acquittal had been made. Orders have been placed for large amounts of sweets and firecrackers,” a party leader said.
SecurityPolice sources said apart from Z-Plus category security Ms. Jayalalithaa was entitled to, over 2,000 police personnel, including two platoons of the Rapid Action Force, will be pressed for her security.
“The route her convoy will proceed on has been sanitised completely. We have also increased patrol in areas dominated by Tamil-speaking people,” a police official said.
A Tamil Nadu police officer pointed out that an eye will be kept on Opposition party members who were in the city to ensure there were no clashes. General Secretary of the DMK, K. Anbazhagan, was an intervener in case and was instrumental in shifting it from Tamil Nadu to Karnataka in 2003.
Anticipating trouble, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation has suspended bus services from Bangalore to Tamil Nadu between 6 a.m. and noon on Saturday. Numerous check-posts have also been put in inter-State border areas to monitor movement.
The special judge hearing the trial, John Michael Cunha, is expected to deliver the all-important verdict at 11 a.m.
Heavy security will also be provided to the other three accused in the case c— Sasikala Natarajan, V. Sudhakaran and Elavarasi.
