J.贾亚拉利塔

Jayalalithaa Jayaram (24 February 1948 – 5 December 2016), popularly known as Amma, was an Indian politician and actress who served as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for six terms spanning more than fourteen years between 1991 and 2016. She was the longest-serving General Secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and regarded as one of the most influential politicians of post-independence India.

Before entering politics, Jayalalithaa rose to prominence as a leading film actress in the mid-1960s, earning recognition for her versatility and classical dance skills. In 1982, she joined the AIADMK, founded by her frequent co-star M. G. Ramachandran (MGR), who was the Chief Minister. She rose swiftly within the party to become its Propaganda Secretary and was elected to the Rajya Sabha. After MGR's death in 1987, she outmanoeuvred the rival faction led by his widow V. N. Janaki to emerge as the party's sole leader.

Jayalalithaa first became Chief Minister in 1991, making her Tamil Nadu's youngest at the time. Her tenures were marked by strong centralisation of power, an extensive social-welfare agenda—most visibly the Amma-branded subsidised canteens, bottled water, salt, and cement—and an at-times ruthless posture towards political opponents. Her career was punctuated by serious legal difficulties: the DMK government led by M. Karunanidhi, her bête noire, filed 28 corruption cases against her after the 1996 election, and she was convicted in a disproportionate assets case in 2014. Each time, she was eventually acquitted and returned to office. In the 2016 assembly election, she became the first Tamil Nadu chief minister since MGR in 1984 to be voted back into power.

Early life, education and family

Jayalalithaa was born on 24 February 1948 to Jayaram and Vedavalli (Sandhya) in a Hindu Tamil Iyengar Brahmin family at Melukote, Pandavapura taluk, Mandya district, then in Mysore State (now Karnataka). She had a brother, Jayakumar.

Film career

Early career

In Madras (now Chennai), Jayalalithaa was trained in Carnatic music, western classical piano and various forms of classical dance, including Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Mohiniyattam, Manipuri, Kathak. She learnt Bharatnatyam and dance forms under K. J. Sarasa and also from K. N.……

Early political career

Jayalalithaa denied claims that M.G.R., who had been chief minister for the state since 1977, was instrumental in introducing her to politics. According to The Hindu former journalist T. A. Narasimhan, Jayalalithaa informally advised MGR on political matters even before joining the AIADMK.……

Leader of the Opposition (1989)

She was elected to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly in 1989 as a representative of the Bodinayakkanur constituency at age of 41. The Jayalalithaa-led faction of the AIADMK won 27 seats and Jayalalithaa became the Leader of the Opposition in Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.……

Attack in the Legislative Assembly

Following reports on 19 March 1989 that a resignation letter purportedly written by Jayalalithaa, expressing her intention to resign her Assembly membership and retire from politics, had been recovered from the residence of M.……

First term as Chief Minister (1991–1996)

In 1991, following the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi days before the elections, her alliance with the Indian National Congress enabled her to ride the wave of sympathy that gave the coalition victory.……

Loss of power, 1996

The Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK lost power in the 1996 elections, when it won 4 of the 168 seats that they contested. Jayalalithaa was herself defeated by the DMK candidate E. G.……

Second term as Chief Minister (2001)

Jayalalithaa strengthened the AIADMK led Secular Democratic Progressive Alliance consisting Congress, Left parties by bringing in parties like Moopanar's TMC, PMK, IUML and other smaller parties for 2001 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election.……

Third term as Chief Minister (2002–2006)

Upon her acquittal, she contested a bye-poll to the Andipatti constituency, which she won by a handsome margin in February 2002.

Subsequently, on 2 March 2002, Jayalalithaa returned as Chief Minister once more to complete her term, having been acquitted of some charges by the Madras High Court.

Leader of the Opposition (2006–2011)

AIADMK fared poorly in May 2006 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election, with her party winning just 61 seats out of total 234 in the state elections in 2006. She won in Andipatti.……

Fourth term as Chief Minister (2011–2014)

Jayalalithaa was sworn in as chief minister for the fourth time after the AIADMK swept the 2011 assembly election in a landslide. She won in Srirangam.……

Disproportionate assets case (2014)

Three years into her tenure, she was convicted in a disproportionate-assets case, rendering her disqualified to hold office.

Fifth term as Chief Minister (2015–2016)

The acquittal allowed her once again to hold office and on 23 May 2015, Jayalalithaa was sworn in as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for the fifth time. She was subsequently re-elected by the electorate of the Radhakrishnan Nagar of North Chennai in the by-election held on 27 June 2015.……

Sixth term as Chief Minister (2016)

In the 2016 assembly election, she became the first Tamil Nadu chief minister since M.G.R. in 1984 to be voted back into power. That September, she fell severely ill and, following 75 days of hospitalisation, died on 5 December 2016 due to cardiac arrest.

On that Election,

Controversies

Personality cult

Followers of Jayalalithaa often worshiped her as a divine being.……