Jaya to become Tamil Nadu CM again : AIADMK

After Jayalalitha was convicted and sentenced to four years in  jail by a trial court in September last year,she  was disqualified as a lawmaker and had to step down as chief minister making  room for her protege O PannerSelvam as the next incumbent.

Now that the trial court verdict has been overruled by the High Court, Jaya does not have any legal bar to becoming a legislator and the CM.

"Of course she will be chief minister,"  media reports quoted  Rabi Bernard, AIADMK Rajya Sabha MP and spokesperson as saying.

"Amma and the party will decide when she will assume charge," he said.

According to the constitution, Jayalalitha need not be a sitting MLA to become CM but will have to win a bypoll within six months in order to stay in the post.

Pannerselvam along with his ministers  reached Poes Garden, Jayalalitha's residence in Chennai shortly after the party chief and three other accused were
acquitted.

Outside her residence , spontaneous celebrations by party supporters  were on, with firecrackers being burst, sweets distributed and cadre dancing on the streets.

Jaya's lawyer B Kumar said the case against her couldn't be proved and hence she has been let off. 

Jayalalitha was found by a  trial court guilty of accumulating assets worth over Rs. 66 crore disproportionate to her known sources of income during her tenure.

Besides sentencing her to jail, the curt  find fined her Rs. 100 crore.She has been on bail for eight months.