AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa revokes party expulsion of close aide Sasikala

Chennai, Mar.31 (ANI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) chief J.Jayalalithaa on Saturday revoked the expulsion of close aide Sasikala, days after she apologised and disowned some members of her family for creating fissures with her "elder sister".

Jayalalithaa had expelled Sasikala and her relatives from the membership of the party in December, 2011 after it was revealed that the latter was planning to take charge of the party and the state government in the event of the chief minister being prosecuted and even jailed in connection with a disproportionate assets case by a Bangalore court.

Sasikala had earlier this month released a statement explaining her innocence and had distanced herself from all relatives who had conspired against Jayalalithaa.

She traced her association with Jayalalithaa to 1984 and said that she had lived in the actor-turned-politician's Poes Garden residence since 1988.

"I wanted to reduce the work burden of Jayalalithaa. I did not have any hidden agenda except serving Jayalalithaa. She accepted me as her younger sister," Sasikala had said in her statement.

According to Sasikala, it was only in December after Jayalalithaa cracked down on her family members she realized that her relatives and friends had misused the chief minister's status.

Jayalalithaa sacked Sasikala and several others from the basic membership of the party without giving any reason. Jayalalithaa told party members not to have any contact with the lot.

Later, police started acting on complaints against the relatives of Sasikala. Her husband M Natarajan and some close relatives were arrested on several charges. (ANI)