The acquittal of J Jayalalithaa, the AIADMK general secretary, by the Karnataka High Court in the Disproportionate Asset case is similar to the story of the rise of the mythological phoenix bird from its own ashes. This is not the first time that Jayalalithaa has staged a comeback fighting all odds. People in Tamil Nadu say that Amma, as she is addressed by party cadre, is unbeatable when she fights back to the wall.
In October 2000, a special court in Chennai sentenced Jayalalithaa to three years imprisonment in the infamous TANSI land deal case. The prosecution case was that Jayalalithaa, during her tenure as Chief Minister from 1991 to 1996, had violated the Code of Conduct and purchased 3.1 acre of prime land and buildings owned by the public sector TN State Industries Corporation for Jaya Publication, a company reportedly owned by her and friend Sasikala.
The prosecution charged that the State Exchequer suffered a loss of Rs350 million because of under valuation of the property. The property was sold to Jaya Publications for a price much lower than the market value, it was alleged. The court also suspended the sentence to help Jaya to file the appeal. Following the Special Court verdict, analysts and pundits had penned down her political obituary.
State went to Assembly election in 2001. Since Jayalalithaa had been convicted in the TANSI case, returning officers of all the four constituencies from where she filed her nomination papers rejected them. The prevailing mood in Tamil Nadu was that the ruling DMK would come back to power as there was no visible anti-incumbency factor. But the ADMK romped home with a majority and a triumphant Jayalalithaa was sworn-in as CM for the second time.
But the joy was short-lived. The Supreme Court nullified her appointment as CM in September 2001 following an appeal by a DMK worker, who questioned the propriety of swearing in a person convicted in a criminal case for three years. Jayalalithaa called on the Governor within minutes of the apex court verdict and made arrangements for change of guard. The same evening saw O Pannnerselvam, handpicked by Jayalalithaa swearing in as CM.
The Madras High Court acquitted Jayalalithaa of all charges in the TANSI land deal case in December 2001 and she was again sworn in as Chief Minister in March 2002. But the AIADMK was swept out by the Rainbow Alliance cobbled up by the DMK in the 2004 lok Sabha election. Though the entire Opposition grouped against her in the 2006 Assembly election, both the DMK and the AIADMK could not touch the magic figure of 118. The DMK with the support of alliance partners formed a minority Government.
The period 2004 to 2011 was not the best of her years. The DMK, which was a partner of the UPA Government at the Centre, made life difficult for the AIADMK Government till 2006. From 2006 to 2011, the Karunanidhi family had a free run all over the State which made it unpopular. Freebees like colour TV could not influence the voters as the State was reeling under severe power shortage. When Jayalalithaa assumed power for the third time in 2011, entire Tamil Nadu was facing power cut for 18 hours a day. But the situation underwent a major change and by 2014 power shortage has become a thing of the past.