Jayalalithaa expels companion Sasikala from AIADMK

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has expelled her close aide, Sasikala Natarajan, and 11 of her relatives from her party, the AIADMK. No reason has officially been given for the drastic step. Those who've been handed the pink slip include Sasikala's husband, Natarajan; her nephew and former MP T T V Dinakaran; and Sudhakaran, Jayalalithaa's estranged foster son.

Sasikala has long served as Jayalalithaa's companion, and lives with her. She is one of the main accused in a case that alleges the Chief Minister misused her office from 1991-1996 to collect assets worth 66 crores that cannot be accounted for.

That case is being tried by a Bangalore court to ensure a fair trial. Jayalalithaa objected to being summoned by that court, but was ordered by the Supreme Court to appear in person to answer questions. Sasikala travelled with her for those hearings in a special plane from Chennai.  

Sasikala has for three decades been acknowledged as a power centre in the AIADMK because of her proximity to Jayalalithaa. Insiders say that her opinions counted towards the selection of ministers and party candidates. But her alleged interference in the postings of senior bureaucrats may have prompted the break-up that was announced today.

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In 1996, when Jayalalithaa was beleaguered by a slew of corruption charges, she had a brief falling out with Sasikala, who belongs to the strong Thevar community, traditionally AIADMK loyalists.