Jaya set to make first public appearance since acquittal

In what appears to be a mega celebration for the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam workers and supporters, party supremo Jayalalithaa, fresh from her acquittal, will make her first public appearance in several months in Chennai on Friday.

She will chair a meeting of party MLAs early in the morning at its headquarters which is likely to see her re-elected as legislature party leader.

In her schedule, she will also pay floral tributes to party founder MG Ramachandran, Dravidian icon C N Annadurai and rationalist leader Periyar EV Ramasamy.

When she returned to the city from Bengaluru after she got bail in October last, hundreds of party workers and the general public had greeted the leader as her cavalcade proceeded by road from airport to her residence.

She, however, did not make any address to the public.

Stream of party workers have begun arriving in Chennai to gather at the party headquarters as Jayalalithaa is slated to turn up at the venue at 7 am to begin deliberations with party MLAs.

While senior party functionaries are tight lipped on giving out a firm date for her being sworn in as Chief Minister, it is felt this will happen any time from May 22 to 24.

"We are at the cusp of victory after crossing all the hurdles. Our politics and administration should be based on legal principles and guidelines. That is how we have been functioning," the 67-year old leader had said earlier this week after her acquittal.

"That is why, our successive steps are being taken according to a planned itinerary. There is no confusion regarding this; no problems," she had said apparently in reference to eagerness among party workers to see her re-elected soon.

"Those things desired by my dear party siblings will happen at the right time. Nobody can stop this. So there is no need for concern," she had said in a statement.

Jayalalithaa was acquitted by the Karnataka high court on May 11 after a special trial had convicted her on September 27 last year in a disproportionate assets case and sentenced her to four years in jail.

She was automatically disqualified as an MLA following her conviction under the law. Recently, an MLA resigned from RK Nagar constituency in the city raising speculations that she may contest from there.

The state administration is eagerly awaiting her return as many of the projects are set to be unveiled after she takes charge.