Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam on Tuesday dropped a bombshell, saying he was forced to resign and propose party General Secretary V.K. Sasikala’s name to the top elected post in the state.

“Only a person who can protect the party (AIADMK) and run the government on the principles laid down by late J. Jayalalithaa should come at the helm (of Tamil Nadu government),” he said after ending his 40-minute meditation at Jayalalithaa’s memorial here on Tuesday night.

“I will fight for this even if I am alone,” the normally softspoken Panneerselvam said.

Panneerselvam said Sasikala — a long-time confidante of Jayalalithaa — and her supporters got irritated with the success of his government on issues like Jallikattu protests, mitigating of drinking water crisis in Chennai, setting right the damage caused by Vardah cyclone and others.

The former Chief Minister said he had asked Sasikala as to the need for calling a meeting of legislators but there was no proper reply.

His stand on his resignation contradicted Sasikala’s claim that it was Panneerselvam who wanted her to become the Chief Minister.