'After a bout of drastic dieting Jayalalithaa fainted at home. Her manager contacted MGR, who arrived promptly and arranged for her to be taken to a nursing home. The departure was delayed as everyone was waiting for Jayalalithaa's aunts who were staying in her house to accompany her to the hospital. MGR went in and found them in her bedroom fighting over who would take control of Jayalalithaa's keys. MGR took the keys away from them - and handed them to a groggy Jayalalithaa when she recovered consciousness in the nursing home. While the incident which revealed that she could not trust her own family members was a psychological blow, MGR's tender concern for her well-being touched her deeply...'

'MGR is no more'

It was a stunning blow to her. He had departed, leaving her in the lurch. In a daze she summoned the driver and rushed to Ramavaram Gardens, MGR's residence, but when she reached there she was refused permission to enter the house. She got out of the car and banged on the door with her fists. When the door was opened at last no one would say where the body was. She ran up and down the front and back stairs several times but all the doors were firmly slammed on her face to prevent her from having a glimpse of the dead body of the man who was not only her mentor but with whom she had had such a close, emotional association.

Eventually she was told that his body had been taken away through the back door and driven to Rajaji Hall. She got into her car with her heart pounding and instructed the driver to race there. At Rajaji Hall she rushed to the body and firmly planted herself at the head. MGR lay supine, neatly dressed in his full-sleeved shirt, fur cap and dark glasses - his trademark attire.

One can imagine her feelings on seeing the lifeless body of the matinee idol who had promised Sandhya, her mother, that he would take care of her dear Ammu. She did not shed a tear. She did not wail. She stunned the onlookers and mourners by standing vigil by MGR's body for two days - thirteen long hours the first day and eight hours the second day. She willed herself not to give way to physical exhaustion.

But the mental and physical torture came from other sources. Several women supporters of Janaki's stood near her and began stamping on her feet, driving their nails into her skin and pinching her to drive her away. But she stood undaunted, swallowing the humiliation and her pride, obstinately remaining where she had taken position. She seemed oblivious of her surroundings. But there must have been one question hammering her brain - what now? She was thirty-eight, single, left in limbo by the very man, now lying lifeless, who had brought her into politics with promises of a great future ahead. She, who had been looked upon by the party cadres as a natural successor to their beloved leader, was now a non-entity, fighting to have a glimpse of the departed leader. It was not in her nature to take defeat lying down.

She followed the body as it was placed in the gun carriage, trying to place a wreath on the body and join the funeral procession. The soldiers on duty helped her by giving her a hand to get into the carriage. There were at once angry shouts from behind and she saw MLA Dr K.P. Ramalingam advancing menacingly towards her. Suddenly she was assaulted - hit on the forehead by Janaki's nephew Deepan, who pushed her out of the carriage. She was hurt and bruised and shocked beyond words. Disgusted at the insults hurled at her by Deepan and Ramalingam - they called her a prostitute - she decided not to attend the funeral. She was driven home in her Contessa, escorted by soldiers.

The news spread like wildfire, sending shock waves among the party cadres. Her bruised spirits must have soared as party workers and several leaders, including MPs and MLAs, started pouring in to see her. They swore to stand by her in her claim to be MGR's successor as party leader. Many among the cadres openly said, "We want a charismatic leader. Jayalalithaa is the only person with charisma."

She felt assured that even though MGR had not nominated her as his successor, her standing among the people had not diminished, and they would decide in her favour. But there was no immediate need for an election. The AIADMK had won the elections with a comfortable majority. And the next elections were two years away.

Ninety-seven MLAs of the AIADMK signed a memorandum supporting Janaki and submitted it to S.L. Khurana, the Governor, who then invited Janaki to form the government. Janaki was sworn in as the chief minister on January 7, 1988. She was required to prove her majority on the floor by January 28.

On that day there was absolute pandemonium in the Assembly on account of the Speaker showing open support to Janaki's side. Several members angrily protested against this open flouting of rules. Suddenly some goondas entered the house and started beating up the pro-Jayalalithaa group and the Congress MLAs. During the rampage someone alerted the police. For the first time in the history of the Tamil Nadu Assembly, the police entered the legislative house and lathicharged MLAs. In the midst of all this fracas, the Speaker announced that the confidence motion was won by the government.

When Jayalalithaa was informed about the rumpus in the Assembly she knew there was no time to waste. She issued a statement that democracy had been murdered and appealed to the Governor to dismiss Janaki's ministry immediately. The protesting AIADMK MLAs, along with the local Congress members, met the Governor and gave a detailed report of what had transpired. The Governor in turn sent his report to the Centre, recommending that the situation in Tamil Nadu demanded the dismissal of the government and the proclamation of emergency. The Centre accepted the Governor's recommendation.

The turning point that Jayalalithaa was hoping for had come sooner than she had expected.

***

The Woman Who Knew Too Much

The relationship between Jayalalithaa and Sasikala has not only been a mystery, but has also been responsible for a lot of resentment among those who were once Jayalalithaa's most faithful supporters. Jayalalithaa, who had distanced herself from her only brother, her relatives and friends, now declared that Sasikala was her udanpiravaa sagothari, a sister "though not born from the same womb". Party workers believed that Sasikala and her entourage at Poes Garden had erected an iron curtain that kept them away from their "thalaivi ". They felt their requests for appointments and their personal letters no longer reached her. She had stopped coming to the party office, and stopped meeting the district secretaries who would inform her of ground realities. Amma had changed.

What was it about Sasikala that made the aloof and reserved Jayalalithaa trust her so completely? Jayalalithaa had longed for a normal life of marriage and children, which she was not destined to have. Now at least there was a friend who heard her woes with sympathy. Who did not question her actions. Who did not argue with her. Who had taken on the responsibility of running her house and who did not advise her on matters of state. It was annoying, therefore, when people said that Sasikala was behind her many political decisions. It was not only an insult to her as the chief minister but also utter rubbish.

***

One reason given for Jayalalithaa's crushing defeat in the May 1996 Assembly elections was the excesses committed by Sasikala and her coterie. In a lengthy interview to The Hindu, after her humiliating defeat, and after Sasikala had been dramatically arrested by the Karunanidhi government and sent to jail for violations of the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA), Jayalalithaa categorically denied the allegations and staunchly defended her friend. "Sasikala never functioned as an extra-constitutional power centre. People must understand that a politician also needs someone to look after his or her home. A male politician has a wife at home and a woman politician has a husband or brother to take care of her personal matters. I have no one. It is only because Sasikala stepped in to take care of my household that I was able to devote my full attention to politics.

"After MGR's death, I went through a very traumatic phase and I had no one at home here to help me with anything. So at that time Sasikala and Natarajan offered to help. So I accepted their help in good faith. They both came to live here."

Her long-time and loyal household staff were replaced by the couple's own people. They also brought in the Grey Cats security personnel for her personal safety. Natarajan was given charge of handling her finances. In Jayalalithaa's own words, "But very soon Natarajan overstepped his limits and I did not like his high-handed ways and interference. So I asked him to leave my house. But Sasikala opted to stay with me. This was one full year before I became the chief minister. Natarajan has not stepped into this house again. Sasikala has sacrificed her whole life in order to be with me and give me moral support and take care of me. In fact, there was an occasion when she saved my life. It is because of her that I am alive and was able to lead the party to a tremendous victory in 1991."

It is strange that Jayalalithaa could be so naive as to think that Sasikala would remain incommunicado with her husband living in the same town, just because Jayalalithaa had asked him to get lost.

***

The rumour mills gave a malicious spin to her relationship with Sasikala, alleging that they were lesbians. A letter supposedly written by Jayalalithaa to her personal physician about it was leaked to the press. The doctor and Jayalalithaa both denied that there was any such letter. But the DMK leaders often employed this weapon to malign her. When asked about this by Simi Garewal in her chat show, Jayalalithaa said she just ignored such stupid allegations.

But it had become all too evident that Sasikala's relatives, popularly known as the Mannargudi Mafia, were growing increasingly dominant and controlling her movements as well as her visitors and phone calls.

After Sasikala entered Jayalalithaa's life, most of those who had been loyal to her gradually drifted away.

Sasikala had become Jayalalithaa's alter ego.

A seasoned journalist believes that it is a financial web in which both are caught. "Sasikala is now a woman who knows too much. Jayalalithaa cannot wish her away."

Excerpted with permission from Juggernaut Books.
Amma: Jayalalithaa's Journey from Movie Star to Political Queen
by Vaasanthi.
Available in bookstores and Juggernaut app