When O Panneerselvam walked out after what seemed like a marathon inquiry on Monday evening at the probe panel on J Jayalalithaa’s death, he must have heaved a sigh—not of relief but exhaustion.
It must have been a tiring day for the 71-year-old. But what is more troubling is that his venture 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 around her death, the events at Apollo Hospital, or her health complications except for the severe diabetes she endured. According to sources aware of his deposition before the commission, Panneerselvam said he had wanted to “fly Jayalalithaa abroad for treatment” but then health minister C Vijayabaskar and a top executive at Apollo Hospitals had turned it down.
In short, Panneerselvam told the commission he would not be of much use for its mandate to find out the exact circumstances of the death of Jayalalithaa. Panneerselvam has been summoned again on Tuesday but the chances of any significant admission are unlikely.
Five years ago, however, Panneerselvam painted a different picture. He had made the claim that there was a reason to believe that her death needed to be probed. In fact, he made the setting up of a probe panel one of the conditions for the merger of his faction with the Edappadi Palaniswami group that was holding the government in the post-Jayalalithaa AIADMK government.
The reason for this volte face is in the alternating political currents in Tamil Nadu. Panneerselvam’s political fortunes have seen dramatic turns in the last five years. His ouster from Chief Minister’s post after Jayalalithaa’s death in February 2017, his famous rebellion against VK Sasikala and family (the Jaya probe panel was a consequence of the rebellion), his banishment from the party after Palaniswami became the Numero Uno within the party, the merger with Palaniswami, and now, in an uneasy truce with him to share power over a beleaguered party.
He has had only two brief stints as chief minister: twice between 2001 and 2015 when Jayalalithaa’s legal battles prevented her from holding the post, and once when she was in the hospital before her death. Both times, he was a stand-in to Jayalalithaa.
Sasikala, whom he had opposed bitterly, has been adopting a cordial attitude towards Panneerselvam. He had also said the party would consider her re-induction if the terms are agreeable. With his only foe turning friend, and limited political support beyond his legion in southern Tamil Nadu, Panneerselvam is likely to be operating on reduced leverage in the coming days.
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