Jaya begins new chapter in chequered political career

Assuming office for the sixth time as chief minister, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief Jayalalithaa on Monday began a new chapter in her chequered political career spanning over three decades.

A leader known for her grit and determination, 68-year-old Jayalalithaa proved her detractors wrong again as she steered the AIADMK to power for a second consecutive term in the May 16 assembly polls, bucking the tradition since 1984 when no party has retained power in Tamil Nadu.

Though she had to quit twice over corruption cases, she managed to make a dramatic come back.

A peep into her political career beginning 1982 would go to show that she faced intense and protracted struggle to eventually head the AIADMK overcoming the animosity of rival camps led by the leaders including then minister in the MG Ramachandran cabinet, RM Veerappan.

She successfully contested the Tamil Nadu assembly election in 1989 from Bodinayakkanur and became the first woman leader of opposition in the House.

She led the unification of the party in 1990 which had split following the death of party founder MGR in 1987 and eventually captured power in 1991.

Since then, she has headed the AIADMK governments for three separate tenures (199-96, 2001-06, 2011-16) which also saw her absence in between as she had to quit twice following court cases once in 2001 and later in 2014.

For nearly six months, starting September 2001 she was out of office after she was unseated by Supreme Court vis-a-vis electoral disqualification in the Tamil Nadu Small Industries Corporation land deal case.

Between September 29, 2014 and May 22, 2015 she was out of office again after she was disqualified as a legislator and consequently lost chief ministership following her conviction in a graft case by a trial court in Bengaluru which was later set aside by Karnataka high court.

Altogether, she was sworn in as the CM five times (1991-96, May-Sept 2001, 2002-06, 2011-14, 2015-16).

That she was able to get back to power for a consecutive term now, marks a new high in her political career.

As a teen starlet, Jayalalithaa made her film debut in CV Sridhar-directed 'Vennira Aadai' (white dress) in 1965, and went on to become one of the most popular actress of that era.

In 28 films she was paired with matinee idol MGR who later became her political mentor and in 1982 inducted her into the AIADMK which he founded.

She worked her way up in the party though factional leaders targeted her. She was appointed propaganda secretary in 1983.

Hailed as 'Puratchi Thalaivi' (Revolutionary Leader), Jayalalithaa proved wrong all calculations of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam retaining power in 2011 when she led her party to a fantastic victory by forming a rainbow coalition comprising the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam and Left parties.

The M Karunanidhi-led DMK could only muster 23 MLAs at the hustings.

Since then the Jayalalithaa juggernaut has been rolling on unchallenged in Tamil Nadu as the AIADMK has not only won all bypolls and the local body elections, but stamped its superiority in 2014 Lok Sabha polls as well.

The AIADMK won 37 of the 39 Lok Sabha seats in the state, giving ample indications of her popularity amid a perceived Narendra Modi wave in Tamil Nadu.

Like her previous regime (2011-16), which saw rolling out of 'Amma' brand of schemes and freebies too, she promised more in the run up to the May 16 assembly elections.

Phased implementation of prohibition, loan waiver for farmers, mobile phones for ration card holders, free power for households, handloom weavers and powerlooms, Rs 40,000 crore worth loans for farmers in 2016-21, hike in dole for fishermen to Rs 5000, free laptops with internet for 10th and 12th class students and 50 per cent subsidy for women to buy mopeds or scooters were among her promises.

Against the background of arch rival DMK's sustained onslaught in the past five years that the AIADMK did not implement any of its promises, Jayalalithaa began work right after she was sworn in as the chief minister on Monday.

Soon after the swearing-in function, Jayalalithaa waived farm loans for small micro farmers, gave nod for free power to households (100 units) and handloom weavers and powerlooms (750 units).

She also ordered closure of 500 state-run Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation outlets as part of her promise to implement prohibition in a staggered manner.

After AIADMK's impressive win, she had said she would show her gratitude to the people through work.