AIADMK banks on prayers, freebies for Jayalalithaa's birthday bash

CHENNAI: The monotony of Monday's assembly session was broken by an unexpected crackle of a yesteryear Tamil film song that an MLA began to sing on the floor of the assembly: 'Neenga nalla irukkanam naadu munnera...' (You should be well for this country to prosper.) Apart from the song, originally picturised and screened wishing good health to late former chief minister MG Ramachandran acting as the hero in a 1975 blockbuster film, the state assembly witnessed showers of greetings and prayers for AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa on her 67th birthday on Tuesday.
Grand birthday celebrations of political leaders are not new to Tamil Nadu, but this birthday of the AIADMK general secretary is different. It comes days ahead of a crucial Karnataka high court judgment on her appeal against a trial court's verdict sentencing her to four years imprisonment and imposing a fine of Rs 100 crore in a disproportionate assets case.The appeal is at an advanced stage of hearing and the high court is expected to pronounce its verdict soon.

The birthday also comes amid strong political undercurrents in the state ahead of the 2016 assembly elections. AIADMK representatives, who saw the popularity of their chief peak in early 2014, had cut a massive cake in the shape of the Indian Parliament for her birthday last February . Those were the days, just before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, when they nurtured prime ministerial dreams for their leader.

This birthday, everything has changed and party representatives are only looking forward to their Amma's return to active politics. The party is aware that without Jayalalithaa's return, their chances in the 2016 assembly elections may be bleak.

AIADMK Rajya Sabha MP V Maitreyan said there were several prayers and ' abhishekams' organised across the state apart from various events to distribute free clothes and essential materials to the needy . Maitreyan will be participating in an 'abhishekam' in the Navashakthi Vinayagar temple in Chennai and participating in special poojas at temples in the city besides distributing materials in an event here. " Our prayer this year is that ' Madam' should emerge victorious and assume charge as the chief minister at the earliest," Maitreyan told ET.


Political observers say the party is working on two fronts -seeking divine intervention and trying to reinforce the popularity of their leader. The charity events are expected to remind Tamil Nadu's people of the various populist schemes launched by Jayalalithaa during her term as the chief minister.
Political analyst and senior journalist T Sigamani said: " This kind of religious activity and philanthropic frenzy could only be compared to what party members did when the founder of the ADMK and late former chief minister MG Ramachandran was seriously ill.But mass prayers conducted for the speedy recovery of a leader is completely different from hoping for a favourable verdict in a corruption case."

The AIADMK mouthpiece ' Namadu MGR' has come out with an edition of over 70 pages packed with ads and announcements by party members wishing Jayalalithaa for her birthday, Singamani said. " And the banner story of the paper appeals to party cadres to organise events in a scale never witnessed before for any other leader. This only goes to show that the party wants to use the opportunity to reach out to people with more freebies and goodies, which will keep the popularity of their leader intact."