An uneasy calm prevails at the AIADMK party headquarters on Llyods Road in Royapettah here, two days ahead of a special court in Bangalore slated to deliver its ruling on the assets case against Chief Minister Jayalalithaa. A few party-men trudge in and out of the office premises primarily to collect membership cards. They appear grim.
“Only when Amma comes to the party office do cadre gather in large numbers. Now, most of them go to the Secretariat,” said an office-bearer. Ask the cadre about the assets case, they all say ‘Amma’ will be acquitted.
“Amma is innocent. The DMK foisted so many false cases on her. She has been acquitted in every case. In this case also, she will be acquitted,” says K.A. Subramaniam, panchayat union secretary, Nambiyur, Erode district.
At the Secretariat, only a few Ministers were in their chambers on Thursday afternoon. “All the Ministers are leaving for Bangalore on Friday,” said the P.A. of a minister.
According to party sources, Ministers, MPs and MLAs have all booked tickets to Bangalore. “There is no direction from the party as such,” clarifies a senior leader.
Meanwhile, Saturday’s possible verdict is more talked about in the bureaucracy. “If there is a conviction, it will definitely be a setback to the progress and development of the State,” says an IAS officer. “Sure, there will be an interim Chief Minister but official business will come to a standstill,” the officer says.
Police sources say Ms. Jayalalithaa will fly to Bangalore in a special aircraft early on Saturday. She will be accompanied by her close aide Sasikala. While some police officials from Tamil Nadu have already reached Bangalore to oversee the security arrangements there, the Director-General of Police (Intelligence) and others are expected to leave on Friday.
Meanwhile, a former DMK MP in Dharmapuri Thamarai Selvan has submitted a petition to the police seeking protection as he was involved in the case. Police expect more requisitions from the DMK party seeking security for its leaders and establishments.
Instructions may be issued on the eve of the judgment day to mobilise additional forces from the Armed Reserve and Tamil Nadu Special Police for deployment at vital installations and vulnerable locations such as airports, major railway stations and bus stands as a precautionary measure, the sources say, adding, the Karnataka police had established police check-posts along the districts bordering Tamil Nadu.
