VK Sasikala was a close aide of the late former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa (File)Chennai: K Sasikala – a close aide of late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa – is to be released from jail on the morning of January 27, her lawyer, Raja Sethurapandian, stated Tuesday evening, citing an communique from Bengaluru jail officials.Sasikala, who became party chief right after Jayalalithaa died in 2016, was jailed 4 years ago in a disproportionate assets case, in which the former Chief Minister was the principal accused, and is scheduled to be released right after paying a Rs 10 crore fine.Her release comes just months just before Tamil Nadu holds Assembly elections.The deaths of Jayalalithaa (in 2016) and the DMK’s MK Karunanidhi (in 2018), one more former Chief Minister and an iconic figure in the southern state’s political landscape, leave a huge vacuum that lots of are racing to fill.At the height of her energy Sasikala was a hugely influential force inside the AIADMK and, if she is capable to rediscover even some of that influence, she could emerge a crucial player in the election.Earlier today, on the other hand, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami emphatically ruled out speak of Sasikala’s re-entry into the ruling AIADMK, which is reportedly beneath stress from its ally the BJP.”No chance for that. She is not in the party at all… she is not in the party. 100 per cent she will not be admitted. AIADMK is now functioning after clearly deciding on this. There is no different opinion on this,” Mr Palaniswami told reporters in Delhi.The Chief Minister, who visited Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, denied he discussed the topic of Sasikala’s return the BJP reportedly pushed for this to guard against splintering of votes that could advantage the opposition DMK.Mr Palaniswami famously fell at Sasikala’s feet in February 2017 right after she anointed him chief minister this was just before she was shipped off to jail to serve her sentence.Months later, when she was in jail, the Chief Minister and O Panneerselvam, who rebelled against Sasikala, patched up and ousted her. Many really feel Sasikala may be motivated to seek revenge.Mr Panneerselvam, now the Deputy Chief Minister and who also heads the AIADMK, belongs to the exact same neighborhood (Thevar) as Sasikala, and lots of say this could assistance mend fences.The AIADMK has announced that Mr Palaniswami will be the chief ministerial candidate, but the BJP is however to endorse this – one more prospective sign of unrest in the ruling alliance, though the BJP has stated its leadership will supply its endorsements in due course.
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