Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami emphatically ruled out the prospect of VK Sasikala - former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's aide and a claimant to the top post after Jayalalithaa died in 2016 - re-joining the ruling AIADMK. Sasikala, who was jailed four years ago in a disproportionate assets case, is expected to be released next week after paying a Rs 10 rcrore fine. "No chance for that. She is not in the party at all. 100 per cent she will not be admitted. AIADMK is now functioning after clearly deciding on this. There is no different opinion on this," Palaniswami told reporters in Delhi on Tuesday.
Tamil Nadu will hold Assembly elections later this year and the deaths of both Jayalalithaa and iconic DMK leader MK Karunanidhi leave a massive vacuum that many are racing to fill. Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam - another claimant to the top post - also rebelled against Sasikala, but caste ties could mend fences.
The AIADMK has announced that Mr Palaniswami will be the chief ministerial candidate, but the BJP has yet to endorse this - another potential sign of unrest in the ruling alliance.
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