AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalithaa, who has been acquitted by the Karnataka High Court in the Disproportionate Assets case, will most likely take oath as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on May 17.
According to sources, incumbent O. Pannerselvam will step down before May 17.
Ealing in the day, Jayalalithaa accused the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) of trying to defame and malign her image to put an end to her political career.
This judicial outcome is a major setback to the opposition DMK and is expected to swing political fortunes in favour of the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, which goes to assembly polls in about a year.
A trial court had on September 27 last year verdict sentenced Jayalalithaa and three others to four years in jail and imposed a hefty fine of Rs. 100 crore on her and Rs. 10 crore each on three others.
Meanwhile, massive celebrations have broken out across Tamil Nadu following the verdict. The AIA DMK chief's supporters also bathed her poster with milk.