Judicial probe will prove Sasikala innocent: Dinakaran

Bengaluru, Aug 18 (IANS) A judicial probe into then Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa's death will prove AIADMK General Secretary V.K. Sasikala innocent, T.T.V. Dinakaran, a leader of one of the AIADMK factions, said here on Friday.

Dinakaran also said there would be a "surgery" in the AIADMK as per the advice of the now jailed General Secretary Sasikala, who for years was a confidante of the late Jayalalithaa.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami on Thursday announced a judicial probe into the death of Jayalalithaa. He also said that the late AIADMK leader's Poes Garden residence in the heart of Chennai would be made a memorial.

Speaking to reporters here, Dinakaran said any judicial probe would prove Sasikala's innocence. Sasikala's critics have sought to blame her for Jayalalitha's death in Chennai in December last year following a prolonged illness.

On the conversion of Jayalalithaa's residence into a memorial, Dinakaran said it should be done according to legal process.

Dinakaran said the proposed merger of other two factions of the AIADMK - one led by former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam and the other led by Palaniswami - was being done by people to safeguard their positions.

He said his faction would prove its authority at the appropriate time.

Dinakaran was here to meet his jailed aunt Sasikala on her 63rd birthday.

Dinakaran has been sacked as the AIADMK Deputy General Secretary by the ruling faction led by Chief Minister Palaniswami.

Sasikala was a confidante of Jayalalithaa for 33 years and lived with her. After she took over the leadership of the AIADMK following Jayalalithaa's death, Panneerselvam revolted.

Meanwhile, AIADMK members supporting Sasikala held special prayers for her welfare in various temples in Tamil Nadu, a party leader said.