The Karnataka government of the Congress party has decided to appeal against the high court verdict acquitting J Jayalalithaa in a corruption case.

Jayalalithaa, 67, was sworn in as Chief Minister on May 23, after an eight-month break that was forced upon her when a court in Bengaluru found her guilty of amassing wealth beyond her income during her first term in office two decades ago. Later, a single judge bench had acquited her, clearing the way for her comeback as Tamil Nadu chief minister last week.

State law minister TB Jayachandra said on Monday after the cabinet meeting that the state cabinet has decided - on the advice of the state's advocate general that it has a strong case .

The state government AG Ravivarma Kumar claimed that the state had 90 days to decide on an appeal, but had done so in about 20 days after the verdict.

Jayalalithaa's arch rival, M Karunanidhi of the DMK said last week that the Karnataka government must file an appeal against her acquittal. He said in a statement that the DMK too would file its own appeal in the Supreme Court.

Jayalalithaa, who has to win a seat in the state assembly within six months of being sworn in chief minister, will contest a by-election from Radhakrishnan Nagar constituency later this month. Her conviction last year meant that she was automatically disqualified as a lawmaker, but can contest again after her acquittal.

In the national election last year, the DMK did not win a single seat in Tamil Nadu. Ms Jayalalithaa's party, the AIADMK, won 37 of the state's 39, to be the third largest party in the Lok Sabha after the BJP and the Congress.

The case against her was originally filed in 1996.  In 2003, the trial was moved to neighbouring Karnataka to ensure that the politics of Tami Nadu would not influence the proceedings.