Amma returns again! History proves it’s just impossible to keep Jayalalithaa down

J Jayalalithaa has been re-elected leader of the legislative party in Tamil Nadu and is all set to return as Chief Minister for the fourth time.

#JayaReturns TN governor K Rosaiah invites J Jayalalithaa to form the govt at the earliest @IndianExpress pic.twitter.com/MWcKuTDp3q

— Arun Janardhanan (@arunjei) May 22, 2015

She had to step down after a trial court in Bangalore convicted her in a disproportionate assets case in September last year. Then, the Karnataka High Court acquitted her and she is now back to ruling Tamil Nadu.

That’s always how it has always been with this controversial woman. She is not one to be kept down for any length of time.

Remember those images of a young Jayalalithaa fighting for a place in MG Ramachandran’s funeral cortege in 1987? The coterie surrounding MGR’s widow, Janaki Ramachandran, was determined to keep her out of power, now that her mentor was no more. Through some political manipulation Janaki became CM of Tamil Nadu in early 1988, but her tenure was short-lived. Then PM Rajiv Gandhi dismissed her government and imposed President’s Rule. A seething Jayalalithaa waited for the elections of 1989 and became an MLA, wearing the mantle of MGR’s political heir.

Later, two factions of the AIADMK came together and she became leader of the united party. It was when she was leader of the opposition that in a shocking case of violence inside the legislative assembly she was molested and her saree was torn. Media persons who were present reported that she swore that she would only return to the legislative assembly as CM. She then entered into an alliance with the Congress and the sympathy wave that followed Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination in 1991 allowed the Congress-AIADMK union to sweep the elections. She became the youngest Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in 1991.

Jayalalithaa and her party faced a crushing defeat in the 1996 elections. It was explained as an anti-incumbency drift, but her government was also plagued by allegations of corruption. Her shows of opulence, such as the wedding of foster son Suthakaran, attracted media attention and may have also turned voters against her.

More allegations of corruption followed; Jayalalithaa was barred from contesting the 2001 elections because she had been found guilty of criminal offences, including allegedly obtaining property belonging to the state agency called TANSI. The AIADMK emerged with a majority in the election and Amma was installed as Chief Minister as a non-elected member of the state assembly. It was during this time that the infamous midnight arrest of her arch rival M Karunanidhi took place, prompting the speculation that she had had her revenge for her humiliation in the assembly several years before that.

She had to step down soon after as the Supreme Court ruled that she could not be CM while being convicted of criminal acts. Jayalalithaa gave up the CM’s post, but only after installing as CM O Panneerselvam who was, for all purposes, her puppet. Never one to stay down for too long, Jayalalithaa returned as CM in 2002 after being acquitted of some of the charges.

In the next assembly elections in 2006, Jayalalithaa and her party faced defeat by the DMK. It was again time for her to strategise and plan her comeback. In 2011, she formed a multi-party alliance and returned to power. The corruption cases continued to dog her and last September she was convicted. But in true Amma style, she has been acquitted again and returns to power. Yes, there’s no keeping this woman down, right?