File picture of AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa. (Agence France-Presse)
For the first time since she was acquitted in a corruption case, J Jayalalithaa will appear in public on Friday in Chennai.
Expect an audience of hundreds of supporters as the former Chief Minister leaves her residence to travel to the city's Anna Salai to garland statues of famous political and social icons, including her party's founder, MG Ramachandran or MGR. Before that, she's likely to meet with her party's 150 law-makers, where they are expected to clear the way for her return as head of the government.
On May 11, Ms Jayalalithaa, the head of the AIADMK, was declared not guilty of amassing wealth that far surpassed her declared sources of income during her first term as Chief Minister in the 1990s. At the time, she had famously declared that she drew a salary of just one rupee every month.
She was convicted by a court in Bengaluru late last year, which forced her to quit as Chief Minister. After three weeks in prison, she was granted bail by the Supreme Court, which asked her to order her supporters to respect the law, a caution deemed necessary after many attacked public property and set buses on fire when she had been jailed.
In a statement last week, Ms Jayalalithaa compared her acquittal by the Karnataka High Court to a test that proves the purity of gold. She also expressed her concern for the more than 200 people who she says killed themselves after her earlier conviction.
If Ms Jayalalithaa decides to replace loyalist O Panneerselvam as Chief Minister, she will have to contest and win a seat in the state legislature within six months. Party sources say that given the public sentiment skewed dramatically in her favour, she may ask for statewide elections earlier than next year.
Much will depend on whether the Karnataka government decides to appeal in the Supreme Court against her acquittal. The politician, meanwhile, hinted at her plans in a statement released yesterday, which promised supporters, "It's time to rejoice. Our next course of action is happening according to a time table. Whatever our cadres wish will happen at a scheduled time."