After conviction, Sasikala out of Tamil Nadu CM race for 10 years

The Asian Age With Agency Inputs

India, All India

The judgement comes as a big boost to Panneerselvam, who has been locked in a bitter power struggle with the AIADMK chief.

AIADMK General Secretary VK Sasikala. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday convicted AIADMK general secretary Sasikala Natarajan in the Rs 66 crore Disproportionate Assets (DA) case, ending her hopes of becoming the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

The apex court sentenced Sasikala to four years in prison, and said she would serve the remaining three and a half years, having earlier gone to jail for about six months in the same case.

Sasikala is disqualified from contesting elections for six years under a 2013 Supreme Court judgement. This means that the AIADMK chief cannot become the Chief Minister for an effective period of close to 10 years.

Sasikala has been involved in a power struggle with acting Tamil Nadu CM O Panneerselvam for the top post. With this judgement, Panneerselvam’s path to the Chief Ministership is now much easier

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