Varanavasi (Tamil Nadu), April 18: Jayalalithaa has finally descended from helicopter heights to ground reality during her election campaign after a stinging rebuke from her arch-rival M. Karunanidhi.

Jayalalithaa today flew in by helicopter to this rural town, 70km north of Chennai, to address what was her largest-ever rally this election season.

But the return journey was by road. She drove back to Chennai, giving her supporters en route a closer darshan. The move was to prove Karunanidhi wrong after he had derided he for meeting the voters from helicopter.

"The madam who flies does not know reality or history," Karunanidhi had carped after Jayalalithaa had criticised him for not protesting the ceding of Kachatheevu islet to Sri Lanka in 1972. He reminded her that in 1991 she had vowed to get back Kachatheevu during her Independence Day address but later gave up the idea when the Union government ruled out the possibility.

Until Karunanidhi's prod compelled her to alter her approach, Jayalalithaa's campaign format had started to resemble some of the American fast-food joints known for their monotonous repetitiveness from design to menu.

Jayalalithaa would fly in and out by helicopter, address the crowd from an identical dais at the venues (five so far) and repeat more or less the same speech with minor alterations to highlight issues of the local constituencies. Sometimes even her hand gestures and the way she timed them with a particular assertion resembled an action replay.

Everything on the stage - her table, chair and even the dozen air-conditioners were almost similar to those at the previous venue. Although the candidates were different, they had to wear a shawl with AIADMK colours and, as tutored by a functionary, would greet Amma with a bow and a Namaste and would take their chairs on a lower dais after she did. When she introduced them to the crowd, the candidates would greet her and then the audience.

During her speeches, an AIADMK manager would stand behind on the left corner and clap vigorously with a stern look at the crowd. On cue, the crowd would clap as well.

In spite of the orchestration, there is no denying the enthusiasm of most AIADMK cadres and their undying reverence for Jayalalithaa. Although her Jaya TV telecasts live all her election speeches and repeats them, the cadres want to see more of Amma, especially in person.

For the 6pm meeting on Monday, the crowds had assembled by 3pm.

Ferried by buses or vans by local functionaries of the 18 constituencies that were covered today and fed biryani or sambar rice, the women cadres looked the most enthusiastic. "One day's inconvenience is nothing if we can get to see Amma. She works hard for us throughout the year, and what is wrong if we have to toil through this heat to greet her in person?" asked Rani, dressed in a party colour sari with two leaves printed on them.

When it was pointed out that unlike in the past, Jayalalithaa addressed fewer meetings and did not reach out to voters by van, Rajendran, a party functionary, replied: "What are we for? It is our job to do the last-mile campaign. Let Amma take care of bigger things and, more important, her health."

Therein lies a factor behind Amma's helicopter campaign and compressed election meetings.