Tamil Nadu chief minister: Party loyalist steps into jailed Jayalalithaa’s shoes

Beleaguered AIADMK party leader holds crisis talks in jail

BANGALORE: Former film star Jayalalithaa Jayaram, one of India’s most colourful and controversial politicians, was replaced as head of a southern state on Sunday after she was jailed in a corruption case, reports said.

Jayalalithaa, 66, who enjoys a cult following in the state of Tamil Nadu, was jailed for four years on Saturday over the case that has lasted nearly two decades.

A judge in Bangalore found Jayalalithaa guilty of amassing illegal wealth — including gold, property, hundreds of shoes and thousands of saris — in the case that she has always dismissed as being politically motivated.

Jayalalithaa was automatically disqualified from holding office, although she is likely to still dominate her AIADMK party from jail, the third biggest force in the national parliament.

She was replaced as Tamil Nadu chief minister on Sunday by her loyal finance minister, O Panneerselvam, following a party meeting, the Press Trust of India (PTI) said.

Jayalalithaa earlier Sunday held talks with top cadres from inside Bangalore jail to arrange the handover, a party official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

“As our supremo, Jayalalithaa has advised cabinet colleagues and party leaders to convene a meeting of all lawmakers in Chennai later in the day and elect a leader to serve as our chief minister,” he said.

Her lawyer said Sunday he would appeal to the High Court, seeking her release on bail, and separately press the court to order a stay on her conviction — a move that could overturn the ban.

“We will be filing a bail application in the Karnataka High Court tomorrow,” Kumar told PTI.

Fresh protests broke out on Sunday against the ruling in Chennai and Bangalore, where hundreds of mainly female supporters screamed, wailed and threw themselves on the ground.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 29^th, 2014.