Flood of tributes from the political spectrum

“Even though she has passed away at a young age, her name and fame will remain forever”. Although Deepa returned from United Kingdom after learning about Amma’s ill-health in the past month, she was reportedly not allowed by Sasikala group to meet Jayalalithaa or interact with the media.

Security has been beefed up at the venue where people lined up to bid a tearful adieu to their “Amma” (mother) as Jayalithaa was fondly called.

MGR’s politics, despite his tendency to mingle freely with party colleagues and people, was described as a one-man show. Emotional scenes were witnessed as several women were seen wailing and thumping their chests. Thirty-one ministers were also sworn-in with him.

A Harvard student’s Facebook post on J Jayalalithaa, the powerful Tamil Nadu Chief Minister who died on Monday, has been shared over 30,000 times since it was posted on Tuesday morning. “She (Sasikala) was with her for two months, did not allow anyone inside to see Amma during that time”.

In her obituary reference, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan remembered Jayalalithaa as a “popular and eminent leader”.

Her death is now expected to lead to a more unsettled time for Tamil Nadu politics, possibly giving Mr Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) an opportunity to have a greater say in the state where a weakened AIADMK leadership could lean increasingly on a national party. She also contributed immensely to Tamil, Telugu and Kannada film industries, he added.

Her connect with the people, concern for wellbeing of the poor, the women and marginalised will always be a source of inspiration and be cherished for years, it said. Hindu rituals were carried out before the burial, said All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) party members. “But I think when you take the whole picture and when you weigh what she did for the people, I think the people were willing to accept it”.

Deeply saddened by the irreparable loss, Sridevi took to Twitter to share a classic movie still featuring her and the Late Tamil Nadu CM. Schools and offices were closed after authorities declared public holidays in the state for three days.

Chief ministers of eight states like Delhi’s Arvind Kejriwal and Akhilesh Yadav of Uttar Pradesh and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi attended Jayalalithaa’s funeral.

When matinee idol MGR formed the party in 1972, it was looked down upon as a party that was relying on the popularity of its leader as a film star. Despite being the leading Dravidian leader, she was not an atheist akin to those before her.