Jayalalithaa refuses to meet Panneerselvam

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam.

'Since he is now a Chief Minister, he should not visit the jail, and that he should focus on administration'

IMRAN GOWHAR- October 1, 2014 

Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, who has been convicted in the disproportionate assets case, on Tuesday refused to meet the newly sworn-in Chief Minister O Panneersevalm, when he went to meet her at the Central Jail in Parappana Agrahara, where she is lodged since September 27.

A prison official said: “Ms. Jayalalithaa conveyed the message through prison staff that as he was the Chief Minister he should not visit the jail, and that he should focus on administration…. This message was conveyed to him by the prison staff.”

Mr. Panneerselvam arrived in Bangalore on Monday night and was refused permission to meet Ms. Jayalalithaa by the jail authorities since visitors are not allowed after 6 p.m. “The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and other ministers camping in Bangalore to meet Ms. Jayalalithaa left for Chennai on Tuesday,” a senior official said. Ministers in Mr. Panneerselvam’s Cabinet, Indira Gokula, V. Senthil Balaji, B. Valarmathi, K.C. Veeramani, P. Mohan, P. Thangamani and S.P. Velumani, who had accompanied him, also left the City.

Veera Perumal, a close aide of Ms. Jayalalithaa, also could not meet her, sources said.

Meanwhile, the Central Prison authorities allowed Ms. Jayalalithaa to have her favourite wire knit chair. Sources said the former Chief Minister, who suffers from backache, carries it with her.

Sources said that Ms. Jayalalithaa has been provided with a woman escort and medical officer. “She has expressed satisfaction over the arrangements made to her,” the sources said.

Her diet comprises milk, fruits, bread, chapati and curd rice and she has been going for morning walk and reading newspapers regularly, the sources said.