The news of Tamilnadu Chief Minister, J Jayalalitha’s death at 11.30 pm last evening has set to rest all speculations about her health which took a turn for the worse after she suffered a cardiac arrest on Sunday evening. Her health status has been discussed by media channels and newspapers in this country and in the neighbouring countries for the last 24 hours. In her own state, Jayalalitha enjoyed a cult following and is at times even deified. Perhaps her being catapulted to politics from a film star has added to this cult following. Jayalalitha’s followers don’t accept the corruption charges levelled against her. They believe she is a deity and no mud sticks to a deity. That such arguments can be advanced in the 21st century shows that India is still trapped by feudalism. However, politicians and film stars in south India do enjoy the status of gods and goddesses. MG Ramchandran who mentored Jayalalitha was literally worshipped; so too NT Rama Rao. Film star Rajnikanth too enjoys huge cult following. People believe these cult figures can do no wrong; can’t fall ill or die. The manner in which crowds have been milling in all around the Apollo Hospital, Chennai, since Sunday evening and praying for her recovery is proof of her wide popularity. But the problem with such great personalities is that they leave behind no clear successor.
The AIADMK is in a huddle to zero in on a credible successor. For now they have agreed to continue with O Panneerselvam, a trusted aide of the late AIADMK supremo. But it is also learnt that Thala Ajith has Jayalalitha’s blessings. And then there is her companion Sasikala Natarajan who has been by her side during her illness. It remains to be seen how these probable successors hold the party together.
Cult figures tend to leave behind a vacuum that is difficult to fill and the AIADMK will have to tread cautiously to avoid any split in the Party, thereby giving an upper hand to the DMK led by the patriarch of Tamilnadu politics, K Karunanidhi who has been waiting and watching to make his moves. This is a crucial time for Tamilnadu politics.