Sasikala convicted in DA case: Who is Edapadi K Palanisamy?

Shortly after the Supreme Court convicted AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala in the disproportionate assets case, MLAs loyal to her elected Edapadi K Palanisamy as the new leader of the legislature party on Tuesday.

Chennai: Shortly after the Supreme Court convicted AIADMK general secretary, her loyal MLAs elected Edapadi K Palanisamy as the new leader of the legislature party on Tuesday.

Sasikala, in her capacity as the party chief, also sacked acting Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam from the primary membership of the party.

A letter was written by Sasikala to the Tamil Nadu Governor stating that Edapadi K Palanisamy, who has been elected as the AIADMK's legislature party leader, should now be invited to form the government in the state.

Palanisamy is a veteran politician, who is presently serving as Minister for Highways and Minor Ports in the AIADMK government of Tamil Nadu.

Palanisamy has won the election to the state assembly four times in 1989, 1991, 2011 and 2016. 

On all occasions, he has contested on AIADMK party ticket from the Edapadi constituency.

He has been elevated to the post of AIADMK general secretary and is now a claimant to the post of Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. He is believed to have shared a very good relationship with former Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa.