Sasikala's kin Dinakaran back in AIADMK as deputy general secretary

He was expelled by Jayalalithaa in 2011

AIADMK General Secretary V K Sasikala reinstated TTV Dinakaran, son of her sister Vanithamani. He will hold the post of deputy general secretary. In 2011, former Chief Minister and late AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa had dismissed Dinakaran from the party and kept him away from her residence at Poes Garden. 

The development comes a day after the Supreme Court order that Sasikala and two of her relatives must surrender immediately and spend four years behind the bars in a disproportionate asset case. 

Sasikala, who was expected to take over as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, is now barred for 10 years from holding any public office. She is expected to surrender before a court in Bengalaru on Wednesday.

Dinakaran's presence in the party and at Poes Garden had been noticed ever since Jayalalithaa's death. He was seen at AIADMK Party office when MLAs chose Sasikala as their Chief Minister after forcefully removed O Panneerselvam.

Dinkaran sat next to Sasikala when the latter visited Raj Bhavan to meet the acting Governor and stake claim to become chief minister. 

It may be noted that he is not an MLA and does not hold any position in the party.

Sasikala had in a 2012 letter to Jayalalithaa apologised and said she had disowned her family. 

Dinakaran is the brother of Sudhakaran, Jayalalithaa's foster son whose wedding in 1996 had led to an uproar and a major setback for the former chief minister.

While Sudhakaran was disowned by Jayalalithaa, Dinakaran remained close to her and was even made a Rajya Sabha MP.

According to a Times of India report, Dinakaran played a major role in packing off former advisor to the government Sheela Balakrishnan and secretaries to the CM K N Venkataramanan and A Ramalingam.

Dinakaran was also involved in a FERA (Foreign Exchange Regulation Act) case after huge sums of money were transferred to his bank accounts between 1991 and 1995. When Jayalalithaa was chief minister of Tamil Nadu, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) initiated proceedings under FERA, says reports.