As ousted AIADMK leader V K Sasikala received a rousing welcome from her supporters on Monday when she returned to Tamil Nadu days after completing her four-year jail term in Bengaluru in a corruption case, jitters appeared in ruling AIADMK, which she controlled earlier, indicating fierce fighting ahead of Assembly elections.

Supporters thronged the highway from Bengaluru to Chennai as Sasikala’s convoy passed. “Chinnamma’, as she is fondly addressed by her followers, was greeted by people who waved both the AIADMK and AMMK flags as she entered Tamil Nadu.

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Sasikala crossed Tamil Nadu at Athipalli in Krishnagiri district bordering Karnataka, around 10 a.m. and her supporters broke into celebrations. Her nephew and AMMK chief T T V Dhinakaran, who accompanied her, said she would visit the residence of AIADMK founder and late chief minister M G Ramachandran in Chennai later. He claimed several functionaries of the ruling AIADMK turned up to welcome Sasikala.

But the AIAMDK’s current leadership reiterated that Sasikala and those with her had nothing to do with the party and that it was illegal on their part to use the party flag as she travelled in a car sporting it.

Sasikala’s return to Tamil Nadu is being keenly watched for political impact as it comes at a time when the state is going for Assembly elections. She has been convicted along with J Jayalalithaa and underwent her sentence in the ` 66.65-crore disproportionate assets(DA) case at the Parapana Agrahara central prison in Bengaluru since February 2017 and was set free on 27 January.

On Monday morning, she left for Tamil Nadu, accompanied by Dhinakaran in a convoy of around 200 vehicles as her supporters raised slogans hailing her. Before leaving, Sasikala offered flowers to Jayalalithaa’s portrait.

Clad in a green colour saree, the favourite hue of Jayalalithaa, and wearing a face mask, she travelled in a car that sported the AIADMK flag over the bonnet, disregarding the warning by the ruling party against its use by non-members and pending police case filed by ruling AIADMK. However, Dhinakaran has defended it, saying she continued to remain the AIADMK general secretary, pointing to petitions pending in court over her ‘expulsion’.

Sasikala’s return has made the ruling AIADMK visibly jittery as its ministers have filed complaints with the DGP accusing Sasikala and her nephew TTV Dhinakaran of posing a threat to law and order.

The Jayalalithaa memorial has been temporarily shut, and security has been beefed up in several parts of Chennai including the former CM’s residence and AIADMK headquarters.

Sasikala will be forced to sit out of electoral politics until 2027 as she has been barred from contesting elections as per Section 8 of the Representation of the People’s Act, 1958 which disqualifies a person if convicted for certain offences. But she could lead her party in the Assembly elections.

Sasikala’s sister-in-law J Ilavarasi and Jayalalithaa’s disowned foster son V N Sudhakaran was also sentenced to four years imprisonment in the disproportionate assets case.

Although Sasikala’s electoral ambitions will have to be deferred for another six years, she will not be deterred from returning to active politics trying to recapture the rein of the party once she controlled. Her fighting spirit was evident on Monday when she def ied the AIADMK’s warning and travelled in a car bearing the party flag.