'Welcome Chinnamma' posters put up at Chennai's T Nagar ahead of Sasikala's return

Awaiting the former AIADMK General Secretary V K Sasikala's arrival in Chennai, posters welcoming 'Chinnamma' as she is referred to were spotted at T Nagar on Sunday. Sasikala - who was released from Bengaluru prison after a 4-year jail term - is set to reach her sister-in-law's residence in Chennai on Monday. Her nephew and AMMK founder TTV Dinakaran said that Sasikala and himself will travel to Tamil Nadu on February 8, where she will be given a grand welcome from the Tamil Nadu border to Chennai's T Nagar.

AIADMK files complaint against Sasikala, Dhinakaran; allege 'they can disrupt law & order'

'Welcome Chinnamma' posters in Chennai

AIADMK files complaint against ousted leader Sasikala for using car bearing party symbol

Sasikala's 'car' controversy

Recently, Sasikala caused controversy after she was discharged from Bengaluru's Victoria hospital,  when she travelled in a car bearing the iconic 'two-leaf' flag, stirring a war over Jayalalithaa's legacy. Speaking to the press, Dhinakaran asserted that his aunt was 'still the general secretary of the party' and that the matter was 'sub-judice'. Meanwhile, senior minister D Jayakumar and four other ministers lodged a police complaint against the ousted AIADMK leader for using the AIADMK flag in her car pointing that 'she was not even a primary member of the outfit'.

Moreover, Tamil Nadu's Law Minister CV Shanmugam and other leaders submitted a complaint alleging that TTV Dhinakaran and VK Sasikala will attempt to disrupt law and order when they return to Chennai. Previously, Tamil Nadu CM E Palaniswami (EPS) ruled out a return of Sasikala into AIADMK folds. He said that Sasikala was inducted into the party only after Jayalalitha (Amma)'s demise, adding that most of Sasikala's supporters were back in AIADMK folds. But, Sasikala's nephew - Dinakaran has vowed that 'AIADMK will be revived under Sasikala'.

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The AIADMK factions - split & merger

In 2016, after the demise of then-CM J Jayalalitha, her close aide Sasikala had taken over as general secretary but was later convicted and arrested in the disproportionate assets case. O Pannerselvam (OPS) - the then-deputy CM, quit as caretaker CM to make way for Sasikala. With his exit, EPS, who was chosen by Sasikala, was made the CM, which led to the party being split in the middle - EPS camp and OPS camp. Amid the impasse, the BJP had intervened to allow EPS to continue as CM and made OPS the party's Convenor, Deputy CM, naming the late Jayalalitha as the party's 'eternal' General Secretary. The convicted Sasikala was then thrown out of the party.  EPS eyes re-election in the upcoming state polls in April-May.

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