K Sasikala Natarajan, known to people as the live-in aide of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha and who took over as general secretary of the ruling AIADMK on New Year’s eve, got herself perfunctorily elected as leader of its Legislature Party on Sunday and is waiting for an invitation from Governor Vidhyasagar Rao to form the government even as O Panneerselvam, Chief Minister for the last two months, faxed his letter of resignation to the Governor citing “personal reasons”.

Even on the day of Jayalalitha’s funeral on Marina Beach in Chennai, New Delhi made it clear that Sasikala was its choice for the Chief Minister’s post. Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered condolences to Sasikala before turning to the departed leader’s blood relations or the new Chief Minister. Union minister Venkaiah Naidu, who acted as major-domo at the funeral remote-controlled the waiting Legislature Party to chose Pannerselvam as the next Chief Minister to respect the last wishes of Jayalalitha.

Once during her second term as Chief Minister and another time during her third when she had to step down, Jayalalitha nominated Panneerselvam for the post and during her hospitalisation last September, she entrusted her portfolios to her trusted number two in the Cabinet. While Sasikala has been the comptroller of Jayalalitha’s private Poes Garden residence for most of the time she was the Chief Minister, she was twice sent out.

Following the AIADMK’s rout in the 1996 Assembly election, Sasikala and her entire Mannargudi clan had been driven out of Poes Garden, blamed for most of the corruption charges against Jayalalitha’s government during 1991-96 and the disproportionate assets case against her.

According to news reports, the Supreme Court is likely to deliver its judgment on the assets case next week. Sasikala, accused number 2, was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment and fine of Rs 10 crore by the trial court. If it is upheld, she cannot get elected to the Assembly in the next six months, a constitutional requirement.

The Enforcement Directorate is pursuing the case of Sasikala acquiring the 900-acre Kodanad Estate, a Sterling company, by paying for it in foreign exchange without Reserve Bank clearance. Once the source of the funds is investigated, it will open another can of worms.

Her husband Natarajan is battling cases for the illegal import of a Lexus car and for grabbing 20 acres of agricultural land in a village in Thanjavur in 2012. Her extended Mannargudi family is known more for dubious activities than for any public service.

During her life, Jayalalitha kept the Mannargudi clan at arm’s length. Even Sasikala was driven out of Poes Garden by Jayalalitha following intelligence reports that she was plotting with her clan to take control of the party and the government. Only after a written apology and a promise not to enter politics was Sasikala readmitted.

Though the 2016 Tamil Nadu mandate is for the AIADMK, Sasikala, expelled from the party, has staked her claim to form the government. It would be a travesty of democracy if the Governor invites her and administers the oath of office as Chief Minister.