Stage getting set for Jayalalithaa's comeback

The stage is getting set for J Jayalalithaa to take over as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister for the fifth time. The Chief Minister's room at the St George Fort, the secretariat of Tamil Nadu, is getting cleaned, the private lift of the CM is being repaired and all the officials are on alert.  

A meeting of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) is expected to be held on Wednesday to elect her as the party's leader in the Assembly.

Since Jayalalithaa was convicted her trusted aide, O Panneerselvam, who took over as Chief Minister, decided to operate from his own office which he held as Finance Minister of Tamil Nadu.

While the mood among the public is normal, AIADMK cadres continue to celebrate Monday's judgement of Karnataka High Court, which favoured Jayalalaithaa in the disproportionate assets case.

Sweet shops and flower shops have seen good sales in the city. Local newspapers have also seen good business since Jayalaithaa's followers starting from Panneerselvam, cabinet ministers and other party workers have given advertisements wishing her for winning the case. Panneerselvam, in his advertisement, refers himself as “Amma's loyalist and treasurer of AIADMK”.

Panneerselvam was the only person from the cabinet ministry who was able to meet the party chief on Monday after the favourable order came in.

While at the bottom and mid level officials are excited on Jayalalithaa's return, the top level – secretary and ministers – are slightly worried since a reshuffle is likely to be on the cards, said sources.  

Meanwhile, security has been beefed up at the secretariat.

Banners greeting Jayalalithaa is also back in the city. Radhakrishnan Salai, which connects Jayalalithaa's house in Poes Garden to St George Fort, is filled with banners with picture of Jayalalithaa. Interestingly, the first banners put out in this stretch was by the cadres from Karnataka on Monday.

While Jayalalithaa is yet to come out of her house, where she stayed for the last seven months, cadres are offering poojas and shaving their heads to mark their gratitude to the gods for hearing their prayers. Puducherry MLA Om Sakthi Sekar was one of the followers to shave his head for the purpose.

Jayalalithaa is expected to take over the charge on May 15 or 17, as astrologically it seems viable. As per numerology, one plus seven would be an auspicious number for her, say the astrologers.

However, her return would not be a good news for Jayalalithaa's rivals, quips local newspapers and social media. The hashtag Jayaverdict was trending on twitter on Monday. Cartoons showing her rivals in other parties, who made negative remarks about her during the recent past, running away with her release, was on the front page of a leading vernacular daily.

Political reaction:

While the main rivals of AIADMK have criticised the verdict, terming it a defeat for democracy, some others, including BJP, were cautious in their reactions. This has created a speculation among political analysts about a possible political realignment on the cards in the run-up to the assembly polls, which is scheduled for next year.