PM Modi remembers ex-TN CM Jayalalithaa on birth anniversary; Sasikala pays floral tribute

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to former Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa on her birth anniversary on Wednesday and revealed that he cherished multiple interactions with the late leader. PM Modi noted that the late AIADMK chief was known for her policies favouring the people and for her efforts to eradicate poverty. Taking to Twitter, PM Modi hailed Jayalalithaa's efforts towards women empowerment as he paid tribute. 

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Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi Palaniswami, Dy CM O Pannerselvam and other ministers paid homage to Jayalalithaa at her memorial at Marina beach on Wednesday. The ministers also garlanded Jayalalithaa's statue outside the party headquarters in Chennai. CM EPS will further participate in a massive tree plantation inauguration, awarding a girl child and rewarding District Collectors as a part of programmes organised on Jayalalithaa's birth anniversary. 

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Meanwhile, former Jayalalithaa aide VK Sasikala is also expected to visit the late AIADMK stalwart's memorial at Marina beach to pay tribute to her. The former AIADMK general secretary also paid a floral tribute to Jayalalithaa at her residence, along with her nephew. Sasikala recently returned to Chennai from Parappana Aghrahara prison in Bengaluru after completing her sentence in the disproportionate assets 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 nephew TTV Dhinakaran has categorically stated that his aunt has all the rights to use the AIADMK 'two leaves' symbol and that they will sort the matter out in Court while the ruling AIADMK has raised the use of its party symbol by the former Jaya aide with the election Commission. 

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Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2021

The two warring factions in AIADMK - of Deputy CM O Pannerselvam (OPS) and CM E Palaniswamy (EPS), reconciled after the party named incumbent E Palaniswamy as its CM candidate and O Panneerselvam as the chief of the 11-member steering committee. With AIADMK announcing it will continue its national alliance with BJP, the saffron party is yet to officially announce its state-level alliance. Meanwhile, ex-CM Karunanidhi's successor - DMK chief MK Stalin eyes his maiden CM term as DMK cannot afford to lose a third straight Assembly election after sweeping the state in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls with 38 seats.

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