Night Before Sasikala Verdict, Lawmaker Escapes From Beach Resort

Chennai: At the resort near Chennai where over 100 ruling party lawmakers are staying under extraordinary scrutiny as VK Sasikala guards her numbers, a man allegedly jumped over the walls and ran. Hours later, lawmaker SS Saravanan told the story of his dramatic escape, standing next to Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, who has challenged Ms Sasikala's bid to claim his post.

"I disguised myself, climbed the wall, jumped and escaped," said Mr Saravanan to the media, cheered loudly by Mr Panneerselvam's supporters.

He claimed that "all MLAs (state lawmakers)" are ready to join Mr Panneerselvam, implying that they are being held at the heavily guarded Golden Bay resort against their will.

On Monday morning, the Chennai police had told the Madras High Court that there were 119 AIADMK lawmakers at the resort and no one had complained about being forced to stay there.

Since the lawmakers were brought to the resort, 80 km from Chennai, in luxury buses, no one but Ms Sasikala and top AIADMK leaders had been allowed to meet them.

They could not be contacted on phone, which spurred allegations that their mobiles had been taken away.

Journalists and others were stopped by strongmen on the only road to the resort, which is surrounded by backwaters. Yesterday, a group of journalists alleged that they were manhandled and their cameras and phones were snatched.

Ms Sasikala and her supporters, however, vehemently denied holding lawmakers captive to protect their numbers for a show of strength.
Yesterday, Ms Sasikala visited the resort for the third time in two days and stayed the night.

The Supreme Court will today rule whether Ms Sasikala is guilty, along with former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, of collecting an enormous fortune beyond their known sources of income in the early 1990s.

If the judges confirm a High Court order acquitting Ms Sasikala, there will be no legal hurdle in her becoming Chief Minister, if she proves the support of enough lawmakers.

If convicted, the 61-year-old long-time companion of Ms Jayalalithaa will have to go to jail and can't contest elections for six years.