CHENNAI: Perhaps the only close aide of the late Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, J. Jayalalithaa and the former head of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) from 1989 until Jayalalithaa's death in 2016, V K Sasikala, today returned to her state after being released from the Bangalore Central Prison following the completion of her four-year sentence in a disproportionate assets case.

Sasikala return to Tamil Nadu and her next moves will be very keenly watched as it comes at a time when the state assembly elections are likely to be held in the next few months.  Having sacked her four years ago, AIADMK has said that will have nothing to do with Sasikala and have termed her as the principal opposition party Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's (DMK) B-team.

Sasikala crossed into Tamil Nadu at about 10 am in the morning, in a convoy of hundreds of vehicles from the Attibele check post in the Krishnagiri district bordering Karnataka which about 300 kms from Chennai.

Hundreds of her supporters who had already gathered in large numbers broke into celebration according a rousing welcome to Sasikala. The ecstatic showered flowers on her car while dancing on songs from Jayalalithaa and her mentor MGR's films.

Sasikala who turned 66 in August was accompanied by her nephew a member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, T.T.V Dhinakaran, who has been by her side since she was released on 27 January 2021, however she had to be immediately admitted to a hospital as she had tested positive for COVID-19. After a couple of days she was discharged, however since she was advised to be in self-quarantined she was reported to be staying at a resort outside Bangalore.

As the convey entered Tamil Nadu the supporters thronged the car ferrying Sasikala shouting out 'Chinnamma' (Maternal Aunt) as Sasikala has been addressed by her followers for a long time, ever since she came in the limelight Jayalalithaa's aide. Her car had the AIADMK party flag on it, this despite the party's warning against its use by non-members. Several people in the crowd were also waving AIADMK party's flag as they greeting her convoy. 

According to some locals Tamil Nadu police who were also in large numbers tried to stop her car in a bid to remove the flag, however Dhinakaran and some of his supporters' did not allow the police to do so and after some discussions the convoy left for its journey. Although there is no information on where is Sasikala headed, sources say that she was likely to go to Chennai via Kancheepuram. 

When Sasikala was in prison she was expelled from the party by Chief Minister E Palaniswami, who had been picked by her in the first place to lead the party. This was done in September 2017 as a part of compromise with O Panneerselvam (OPS) who had rebelled that V.K. Sasikala as interim general secretary and her nephew Dhinakaran as deputy general secretary would be sacked.

While Sasikala had challenged her removal, the Election Commission has acknowledged the OPS led group as the real AIADMK and had permitted them to use the party flag and symbol.

The AIADMK had recently announced that no 'non-members' of the party can use its party flag and had petitioned the Tamil Nadu police to restrain anyone who does so, however Dhinakaran has said that nobody could stop Sasikala from using AIADMK flag as she continues to be the head of the party since her cases challenging her removal were still pending.