PICTURE SPEAK

ROUGH TERRAIN: Jayalalithaa's cavalcade during her poll campaign

Another van is following Jayalalithaa's closely. But while hers is fitted with mikes and flashlights, this one is an open vehicle, carrying the local party candidate. His hands are folded, and his lips are sealed because it is Amma who does all the talking.

In the dusty bylanes of Kalingapatti village in Tirunelveli district, her cavalcade takes a detour for what seems like an unplanned visit, one of the few occasions when Amma steps out of her van, to meet Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) General Secretary Vaiko at his ancestral home. It is a heartwarming scene as the MDMK chief steps out of his house to greet Jayalalithaa, the "revolutionary leader" who meets the "revolutionary storm" in a house that's played host to many, including DMK chief M. Karunanidhi, Vaiko's former ally and current foe.

"It is a return visit," says a party cadre, referring to Vaiko's dramatic appearance in Jayalalithaa's Poes Garden residence about a month earlier. The meeting lasts about half an hour. Vaiko's family, including his wife Renuka, son Durai Vaiyapuri and daughter-in-law, doesn't miss a perfect photo-op with Jayalalithaa and close friend Sasikala Natarajan. "I am happy to be here at my brother Vaiko's house," Jayalalithaa says. There's also a word for Vaiko's mother, V. Mariammal, who had come down heavily on her son for dumping Karunanidhi. "She blessed me with all the love and affection in the world, just as my mother would have," a moved Jayalalithaa says. The meeting is short, but as one party worker put it: "It will help moderate the feelings of cadres, as many are yet to digest the reunion." It will lessen, if not wipe off, bitter memories of the past when the MDMK chief was put in jail for 19 months by Jayalalithaa.

INTERVIEW | J. JAYALALITHAA

"The minister violated the code of conduct" During her election campaign in Virudunagar, Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa spoke to Special Correspondent S.S. Jeevan. Excerpts Q. What is the main plank of the AIADMK in the elections? A. I am focusing on the achievements of my Government and all the welfare schemes that we initiated in the last five years. Q. Can we expect any change at the Centre after these elections? A. This is an election for the state Assembly, so it is limited to the question of who will rule Tamil Nadu for the next five years. Q. Your comments on the Centre's recent reservation moves. A. We welcome the context of reservation. But on the eve of Assembly elections, how could the HRD minister make this kind of announcement? This is nothing but a violation of the code of conduct and I want to see what action the Election Commission takes.

Her campaign itinerary is largely dictated by the condition of roads. The speech is written in bold letters and on flash cards that Sasikala helps her with. As she finishes reading, she turns casually to the next card, held by security personnel standing close to the window. She shifts her attention to the local candidate and in her speech, makes a passing mention of local issues like construction of roads and bridges in Tirunelveli. There is heavy security around her cavalcade, but the crowd manages to overcome the hurdle. Amma obliges them all, gratifying mothers by naming babies and accepting prasad from a local priest at another election halt.

Along the first phase of her campaign trail, Jayalalithaa is content to list her Government's achievements, preferring not to take on her archrival Karunanidhi directly. That's a task left to Vaiko for now. "I will talk about DMK's colour TVs later," she told reporters at Vaiko's house. She speaks volumes about her Government's "cycle revolution"-how over six lakh students in the state now commute to schools-and how efficiently she handled the tsunami and flood crisis in the state. The tenor of the campaign is still surprisingly subdued. The once imperious empress who showcased her foster-son's vulgar wedding in 1996 as one of the achievements of her regime is now seen as a sensitive ruler responsive to people's needs. In private conversations, even her opponents concede that she is likely to buck the trend of the incumbent's not returning to office.

At around 6 p.m., her convoy stops near a temple in Mullikulam. The crowd gets bigger and noisier. A pookuzhi (fire pit) ceremony has just been performed for Lord Amman. In this widely practised ritual, devotees walk over embers for purification as well as to ward off evil. Folklore has it that the gods invariably give their blessing by way of a sprinkling of rain. And lo and behold, it begins to pour in Mullikulam. Nobody moves, except the photographers. And amidst the din, Jayalalithaa speaks into the microphone: "In my victory is your victory". The drum beat gets louder; the chants of "long live Puratchi Thalaivi" reach a crescendo as the cavalcade leaves Mullikulam.