After an early morning meet, J Jayalalithaa was re-elected legislative party leader of the AIADMK on Friday morning with reports saying that she will be returning as Chief Minister as early by Saturday.

AIADMK legislators including chief minister O Panneerselvam assembled at the AIADMK headquarters in Chennai on Friday morning and re-elected Jayalalithaa as its party legislative chief. The re-election paves the way for Jayalalithaa to be re-appointed as chief minister and she is likely to meet the governor later today to inform him of the decision.

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Party Treasurer and Chief Minister O Panneeerselvam forwarded the motion to elect her as legislature party leader which was seconded by Electricity Minister Natham R Vishwanathan, the sources said, adding, it was adopted unanimously.

A beaming Cooperative Minister, Sellur K Raju, when asked if Jayalalithaa had been elected as LPP leader, said: "this is the happiest day of our life."

In the resolution moved by him, Panneerselvam praised Jayalalithaa, describing her as the "permanent General Secretary" of the AIADMK.

He asked the MLAs present there to show their sign of approval by giving a "loud applause".

The meeting was also attended by some rebel MLAs of the Opposition DMDK.

Later, Panneerselvam, accompanied by some of his senior cabinet colleagues, visited the Poes Garden residence of Jayalalithaa.

Jayalalithaa will also pay floral tributes to party founder MG Ramachandran, Dravidian icon C N Annadurai and rationalist leader Periyar EV Ramasamy. Panneerselvam left after the meeting to meet with the governor.

Jayalalithaa was acquitted by the Karnataka High Court on 11 May after a special trial had convicted her on 27 September last year in a disproportionate assets case and sentenced her to four years in jail. She was automatically disqualified as an MLA following her conviction under the law. Recently, an MLA resigned from RK Nagar constituency in the city raising speculations that she may contest from there.

A stream of party workers arrived in Chennai to gather at the party headquarters and other events across the city.

"We are at the cusp of victory after crossing all the hurdles. Our politics and administration should be based on legal principles and guidelines. That is how we have been functioning," the 67-year old leader had said earlier this week after her acquittal.

"That is why, our successive steps are being taken according to a planned itinerary. There is no confusion regarding this; no problems," she had said apparently in reference to eagerness among party workers to see her re-elected soon.

"Those things desired by my dear party siblings will happen at the right time. Nobody can stop this. So there is no need for concern," she had said in a statement.