New Delhi: The Karnataka High Court on Monday acquitted former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa in the 18-year-old disproportionate assets case. The verdict may now mark her return as the state chief minister.
Jayalalithaa and three others—Sasikala, V.N. Sudhakaran and Ilavarasi—were convicted by the Bangalore special court in September last year for amassing wealth disproportionate to their incomes during the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader’s tenor as chief minister in 1991-96.
After the high court refused to grant bail to Jayalalithaa, she moved the Supreme Court, which granted bail in October. Two months later in December, it asked the Karnataka high court to constitute a special bench to hear the appeal expeditiously within three months.
The judgement can affect the politics in Tamil Nadu where state assembly elections are due in May next year.
The BJP has appointed senior ministers along with central party leaders to establish an organizational base in the state. Among the southern states, the BJP lacks organizational strength in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Telangana, but has key regional leaders in Karnataka and is in alliance with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh.
The BJP, which contested the Lok Sabha elections against Jayalalithaa, is now keen for the AIADMK’s support in Parliament for crucial legislations. Just before the start of the budget session, senior BJP leaders, including finance minister Arun Jaitley, had met Jayalalithaa in this regard.
Bureau Report
Leave a Reply