The Evil that (Wo)men do…

…lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones. Remember this from Mark Anthony’s speech in Shakespeare’s Julius Ceasar?

The last few weeks has kept the media in India busy with the political drama that played out in the southern State of Tamil Nadu, to an extent that reporting on the elections in the most populous and, therefore, electorally important State of Uttar Pradesh has had to take a back seat. 

With the passing away of Jayalalithaa, the regional party that she headed faced a revolt from within it’s ranks. So, while the news reporters, readers and political analysts were trying to understand the situation in the State, they were also trying to perfect the pronunciation of Tamizh names. By the end of the two weeks many of them might have been able to pronounce ‘vazhaipazham’ (n. Tamil, banana) correct! 

Jayalalithaa was a lady who had attained the status of a demi-goddess, who rose from being an actress to an astute politician, in a field that was largely seen as being a male bastion, and she made her regional party powerful enough to play an important, and defining, role in national politics. She was charismatic. She spoke impeccable English. She was a great administrator. She had some of the best welfare schemes in her State (that are now being implemented in other States as well!). In short, she was a Queen of Hearts. But not everything was perfect. She also fought charges of corruption against her. 

It gets lonely at the top, they say. So, Sasikala played Jayalalithaa’s companion. Jayalalithaa referred to her as being her “soul-sister”. While Sasikala did not enjoy the affections of the general public, those in the party kept her in good books since she was the gate-keeper at the Queen’s palace at Poes Garden. 

The Jayalalithaa-Sasikala relationship was a tumultuous one with Jayalalithaa cutting off ties with her, briefly, for misusing her position and proximity to Jayalalithaa, the Chief Minister. When she faced charges of corruption, so did Sasikala and many of her (Sasikala’s) family members. Whether all the wrong doings happened with the knowledge and connivance of Jayalalithaa, is now anyone’s guess. 

One mistake that political parties make is that they rely too much on cult-personalities to come to, and stay in, power. The political discourse often centres around one person, a coterie or a family, leaving the party with little time, and/or inclination, to cultivate leaders who could be potential heirs. The Congress relies on the Gandhi family, the BJP* on Modi, the SP on the Yadavs, the BSP on Mayawati, the Shiv Sena on the Thackerays…In the AIADMK, it was Madam Jayalalithaa or Amma, as she was called.

When Amma died, the party was left like a headless chicken. She did not leave behind a political heir. When asked at an interview once, she said that the party didn’t believe in the practise. She also died intestate, leaving no designated heir(s) to her personal wealth. 

Many politicians die intestate - how can they will unaccounted wealth? And it is this wealth that, until now, has encouraged dynastic politics - to ensure the wealth remains with the family and, consequently, the reins to the power of the party, too. 

Jayalalithaa left behind a legacy that comprised good-will, wealth and charges of corruption. And there was a fight within the party to grab the coveted position of power and also the wealth. Sasikala believed she was the heir, both, to her political legacy and to her personal one. This was challenged by ranks within the party. The result was a political turmoil, much drama and some melodrama, and a whole State was left grappling with an uncertain future. 

Sasikala was seen by a fraction as the lady who wanted to usurp the legacy and O.Panneerselvam (OPS) was the man that Madam Jayalalithaa had placed her faith in when she was serving her sentence in jail. In the battle that ripped the party cadres apart, the local Tamizh people didn’t take too kindly to the situation, given that they take pride in being amongst the most developed States in the country. 

Another sword that was hanging dangerously over Sasikala’s head was the impending verdict to the case in the Honourable Supreme Court. So busy was she to position herself favourably in the party, that she forgot she was also an heir to the legal battle!

The judgement passed in the Honourable High Court of Karnataka had acquitted Jayalalithaa and those co-accused, but an appeal in the Honourable Supreme Court found her, and the others charged along with her, guilty. Since Jayalalithaa had died, it got abated in her case, but the others, including Sasikala, were convicted. The people rejoiced at the verdict, little realising that it was also a verdict against their revered Amma!

But Sasikala ensured that she chose the person who would run the party and the State in her absence. She made sure she had a loyal person to take care of the legacy, the power and the pelf, while she held the strings from behind the bars and in the time she had left after candle-making.

Amma’s memory, however, will be of the welfare schemes she had put in place for the people of Tamil Nadu, the work she did for the upliftment of her people and the politics she played to protect their interests. The canteens will continue to feed the poor and they will continue to bless her soul. 

Amma might just be that person who would prove Shakespeare wrong - the evil that she did has died with her; the good will continue to live on.

(*I must mention that until now, the BJP was a national party that had a mix of statesmen-leaders at the helm. The party did not look upon a single personality for power and popularity. But with many of the senior leaders, leaders who steered the party and it’s ideology, being sent to the benches, the party has only Modi to depend on for its power and popularity. The only other leader from the party who has won many hearts is, probably, Smt. Sushma Swaraj.)