Chennai: Sasikala inducts nephew TTV Dinakaran into the AIADMK as the party’s deputy general secretary ahead of surrender, which is likely to happen today. Sasikala has also inducted another relative Venkatesh into the party. Dinakaran’s appointment is a departure from Jayalalithaa’s decision in 2011, when she had expelled Dinakaran from the party.
Yesterday, she appointed Edappady K Palaniswami, a AIADMK loyalist as the Legislature Party Leader, projecting him as the next CM as she heads to jail. Her conviction prevents her from holding the executive post for six years.
Sasikala also sacked rebel leader O Panneerselvam, the chief minister, from the party’s primary membership.
Security has been strengthened across the state. Police presence has been stepped up at the resort where MLAs supporting her are housed since the past few days. Sasikala herself stayed overnight at the resort.
The expectation is that Sasikala will leave for Bengaluru to surrender in the trial court as per the apex court order.
The apex court on Tuesday quashed the Karnataka high court verdict that had acquitted Sasikala in the disproportionate assets case and asked her to surrender herself.
Sasikala was elected AIADMK Legislature Party Leader on February 5, paving the way for her becoming chief minister. Two days later, Pannerselvam rebelled against her.
