Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi on Monday advised Governor Vidyasagar Rao (pictured above) that the Tamil Nadu Assembly be convened soon and that a floor test be held to decide the next chief minister. The floor test is likely to be done within a week, reports said. Rohatgi’s suggestion comes amid a massive political crisis in the state, after acting chief minister O Panneerselvam rebelled against chief minister designate VK Sasikala.

Sasikala currently appears to hold the majority, though Panneerselvam and his supporters claimed that legislators have been forced to supper her. She has the support of around 129 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam legislators. The party general secretary had said she was ready to form the government. She also implied she was pushed to become chief minister and had sacked Panneerselvam as he was close to Opposition leaders in the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

A Supreme Court verdict determining whether Sasikala and former chief minister J Jayalalithaa are guilty in a case involving illegal income is awaited this week. If found guilty, Sasikala will not be allowed to contest elections for at least six years.