Hefei, China (CNN) -- The murder trial of Gu Kailai, the wife of a recently deposed top official in the Chinese Communist Party, has begun in the eastern China city of Hefei, local officials said Thursday. 

Gu and a family aide, Zhang Xiaojun, are accused of poisoning Neil Heywood, a British businessman who was found dead in the southwestern Chinese metropolis of Chongqing in November. 

The trial is the latest phase in the fall from grace of the prominent family of Bo Xilai, Gu's husband, who until earlier this year had appeared destined to join the elite committee of leaders at the top of China's ruling party. 

The saga has become the most sensational Chinese political scandal in recent years, creating an extraordinary set of challenges for the central government as it prepares for a once-in-a-decade leadership transition later this year. 

Heywood, a 41-year-old British citizen, was found dead in a hotel in Chongqing, the city where Bo was the Communist Party chief. But the trial is taking place in Hefei, in Anhui province, more than 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) east of Chongqing, where lingering support for Bo and his family remains. 

"This is definitely more than a criminal trial," said Wenran Jiang, a professor of political science at the University of Alberta. He added that the process is being closely watched for signs of what might happen to Bo, who is being investigated for "serious discipline violations" after being removed from his Chongqing and party posts. 

Gu's family had wanted to hire two prominent Beijing lawyers to represent her, but Chinese authorities have chosen two local attorneys to form her defense team, a family friend told CNN on Wednesday. 
To whom?
the wife of a recently deposed top official