The state machinery has swung into action ahead of another major shift anticipated over the weekend in the government. While there is no official word of change, J Jayalalithaa, the AIADMK supremo is expected to take over as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu again.

Police personnel thronged the area around Jayalalithaa’s residence at the posh Poes Garden locality on Thursday and workers were busy putting up larger-than-life portraits of ‘Amma’ along key roads.

All of this for what? Officially, on Friday, Jayalalithaa will garland the statues of Dravidian party leaders MG Ramachandran, CN Annadurai and ‘Periyar’ EV Ramasamy.

The AIADMK had also announced that on Friday its MLAs will meet at the party’s headquarters. Again the agenda has not been spelt out. But the word is that the present Chief Minister, O Panneerselvam, will step down as the legislature party leader paving way for Jayalalithaa to take over.

Panneerselvam had taken over from Jayalalithaa after she, along with three others, was convicted last September on charges of corruption by a special court in Bangalore. She spent nearly three weeks in jail before being granted bail by the Supreme Court.

The Bangalore High Court, which heard her appeal, acquitted her, enabling her to resume charge. Since Jayalalithaa’s resignation, a by-election was held in her Srirangam Constituency.

Meanwhile, last Sunday, P Vetrivel, an AIADMK MLA has resigned from the RK Nagar constituency in North Chennai. She is expected to contest from this seat.

In 2001 too she had to vacate her seat following a conviction in what is called as the Tansi Land Deal case and Panneerselvam had stepped in then also. She took over again only after she was acquitted by the Supreme Court.

If Jayalalithaa takes over this weekend she will create a record for being sworn in the fifth time during the three stints that the AIADMK has been voted to power.

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