Tamil Nadu prays for Jayalalithaa, with an eye on by-polls

It is certain that Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa will spend Diwali at Apollo Hospitals in Chennai. Doctors at Apollo Hospitals are in no hurry to discharge her, unless she is fairly close to the position she was in before she got admitted on September 22. And those in the know say it is likely to be a long haul.

Sources say when Tamil Nadu governor Vidyasagar Rao came visiting last week, she showed him the thumbs-up sign.

That was the first visible sign to someone from the outside world that Jayalalithaa is well on the path to recovery. However, even though she is getting better by the day, minor complications still exist which are being addressed by the team of doctors.

It is also a conscious decision by Apollo Hospitals and the Tamil Nadu government not to issue a medical bulletin every day. Instead the intention now is to release one once in a week or ten days, which will give a more comprehensive account of the CM's health condition.

While the criticism around governance in Tamil Nadu having come to a standstill in the absence of the CM has been nullified to an extent with Jayalalithaa's portfolios being transferred to finance minister O Panneerselvam, the roadshows to showcase competitive loyalty has begun in right earnest.

Now that they are sure Amma is going to be back, every leader is getting in supporters in thousands to showcase his or her loyalty to Jayalalithaa.

If getting a Ganesha idol to pray at the entrance to Apollo Hospitals was an attempt to grab eyeballs, last week, R Vetrivel, MLA from Perambur went bigger by organising a massive religious ritual in the city.

With over 200 priests in attendance, some 3,000 AIADMK cadre took part in the special prayers for Jayalalithaa. Vetrivel is a Jayalalithaa loyalist, having vacated his RK Nagar seat in May 2015 for her to contest the by election after her acquittal.

Such tamashas, where saris were also distributed, do not come cheap. According to reports, this ceremony cost the legislator Rs 35 lakh.

Two weeks before, he had mobilised enough crowds for a roadshow, during which an elderly man was made to hang with hooks pierced through his skin, with a Jaya photograph in hand. An arrow like object was pierced through the cheeks of children, as a way of praying for Jaya's recovery.

Since sycophancy is pretty much part of the AIADMK's DNA and such shows of loyalty work wonders in ensuring political promotions. For example, PWD minister EK Palaniswamy organised a ritual with women carrying milk pots in Salem district. Again, some 3,000 AIADMK cadre marked attendance at the do in which one man also died due to exhaustion.

That hardly seems to be a deterrent. Another milk pot procession organised by former agriculture minister Krishnamoorthy who was dismissed by Jayalalithaa in her previous term as CM, also saw a stampede breaking out resulting in the death of a woman. Three people have also committed suicide since September 22, apparently agonised by Jayalalithaa's stint in hospital.

But those in the know of the politics of Tamil Nadu say the build-up is also heightened with an eye on the by elections to three Assembly seats on November 19. The three seats are Aravakurichi in Karur district, Thanjavur and Thiruparankundram in Madurai district.

The AIADMK's second rung leadership knows it will be on test since Jayalalithaa will not be leading the campaign. The intention is to whip up a sympathy factor for the ailing chief minister and make the by polls more about Jayalalithaa than the three party candidates.

Another reason is that elections in two of the three seats were countermanded at the last minute over charges of bribing of voters. This was the first time any election was being cancelled for this reason.

In May, both the AIADMK and DMK candidates came under the scanner, with the Election Commission seizing close to Rs 8 crore in cash and 2,500 litres of liquor. The raid at a businessman's house in Karur from where Rs 4.8 crore was recovered was significant as he is considered close to a powerful politician in the ruling party.

The high-decibel, in your face ceremonies and prayers for Jayalalithaa's health therefore are designed to ensure the media attention remains firmly on the CM and hope that she does an MGR.

The fact that in 1984, MGR won the Tamil Nadu Assembly election from the hospital bed in the US and was elected CM once again is part of political folklore.

Also read - Talking about Jayalalithaa's health can be dangerous in Tamil Nadu