Probe into Jaya’s death

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Thursday announced a Commission of Inquiry to go into the death of Jayalalithaa and also said her Poes Garden residence would be turned into a memorial, thus meeting two of the prime conditions for merger set by the rival faction led by O. Panneerselvam.

The inquiry, announced eight months after the former CM’s demise at the end of 75 days of battle with multiple ailments, will be headed by a retired judge of the Madras High Court. The judge’s name would be announced later, Mr Palaniswami said, recalling that the media had reported “all kinds of statements from various people and organisations” regarding Jayalalithaa’s death.

The former CM died following cardiac arrest on December 5, plunging the state politics into a cauldron of near-chaos.

Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Thursday announced a Commission of Inquiry to go into the death of Jayalalithaa and also said her Poes Garden residence would be turned into a memorial, thus meeting two of the prime conditions for merger set by the rival faction led by O. Panneerselvam.

Hailing Jayalalithaa as a great leader who had toiled for the welfare of the state and its people, Mr Palaniswami said her ‘Veda Nilayam’ residence would be made a memorial in deference to the requests from several quarters.

“Amma’s residence will be turned into a government memorial, where the public can view and learn her various achievements and sacrifices,” said the Chief Minister at the crowded press conference at the Secretariat.

Just a while after the CM’s announcement of the probe into Jayalalithaa’s death, the OPS camp’s main spokesman K.P. Munusami expressed dissatisfaction saying only a CBI probe would bring out the truth.