AIADMK functionary in Nilgiris puts up posters welcoming back 'general secretary' Sasikala

Yet another AIADMK functionary has pasted posters welcoming back VK Sasikala as the former Jayalalithaa aide was released from the Parappana Aghrahara prison in Bengaluru following the completion of her sentence in the disproportionate assets case. AIADMK Deputy Secretary of the Nilgiris District Ramasamy reportedly pasted over 1000 posters in Kudalur welcoming back the 'party's general secretary Chinnaamma'. The poster consisting of party greats MGR and Jayalalithaa has Sasikala's photo with a message welcoming her back to Tamil Nadu after successfully overcoming trials and wished her success for the future. 

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Earlier, the ruling AIADMK removed a functionary from the party for putting up a poster welcoming expelled leader VK Sasikala who completed her prison sentence in the disproportionate assets case. AIADMK expelled MGR Makkal Mandram's Tiurnelvelli district Joint general secretary, Subramanya Raja, for putting up a poster featuring CM EPS, Dy CM OPS, party stalwarts MGR and CN Annadurai. The poster put up by Subramanya Raja welcomed 'general secretary' Sasikala and touted her to lead the party forward. However, the AIADMK issued a circular on Wednesday announcing that Subramanya Raja had been terminated from the party for acting against the principles of the outfit and for bringing disrepute by violating guidelines set by the party on the conduct of its members. The ruling party further asked its cadre to not associate themselves with Raja in the future while announcing that he had been expelled from the party's primary membership. 

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Sasikala was lodged in jail since February 2017 when the Supreme Court upheld her conviction by a special court in Bengaluru in a disproportionate assets case and sentenced her to four years imprisonment. Sasikala, who took over the reins of AIADMK after the death of Jayalalithaa in December 2016, was later removed from the party by then-Chief Minister K Palaniswami-led camp. Her relatives Ilavarasi and V N Sudhakaran are also serving a four-year jail term in the case. It is pertinent to point out that Sasikala was expelled from the party soon after her conviction in the disproportionate assets case following which her return to the party-fold has also been ruled out on numerous occasions. The suspension of AIADMK functionaries from the party for welcoming back Sasikala from prison indicates the ruling government's no-compromise attitude towards the former Jaya aide. Sasikala's return to Tamil Nadu is yet to be charted out and is likely to be decided by her family, as per inputs. Meanwhile, the expelled AIADMK leader is set to stay in Bengaluru after being discharged from the hospital. 

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Tamil Nadu Assembly elections

Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu are due in April-May 2021 and the political parties have kickstarted their campaigns in full swing. While DMK's MK Stalin is eyeing becoming Chief Minister for the first time, CM E Palaniswami (EPS) is fighting for his re-election. The BJP will continue its alliance with AIADMK and was briefly courting the idea of engaging in talks with Stalin's estranged brother MK Alagiri. Meanwhile, Kamal Hassan has put a halt to his campaign trail due to leg surgery (which he is swiftly recovering from, according to his daughter's tweet who updated fans on the actor-politician's health). Superstar Rajinikanth who was about to launch his party this year caused a massive stir backed out due to health reasons after citing 'divine intervention'.

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