What the Statement Said

The statement said that she had "decided to continue in politics because of pressure from her party workers. The note that she was returning to party to prevent suicide attempts by party youths.

Behind the apparent well-planned melodrama lay a shrewd political gambit. The party rank and file is in disarray with their hopes of "capturing power" in the state having been aborted by the defeat of AIADMK's ally, the Congress Party, at the Center in the recent general elections. The party cadre had been reportedly promised during the elections that "as soon as Rajiv Gandhi government is returned at the Center, the DMK government in Tamil Nadu would be dismissed and fresh elections held enabling the AIADMK-Congress combine to ascend the throne in Madras."

But the defeat of the Congress in the national elections has upset AIADMK's apple cart. Party workers are becoming increasingly impatient now that they have to wait in the wings for another four years before hoping to "capture power". A section of the party is also said to be demanding snapping of connections with the Congress.

Jayalalitha's resignation episode was obviously aimed at the telling the party-men that she will stay in the organization on her terms. She gambled, as she had done once earlier, threatening to "quit" with predictable results.

Ever since the demise of the party founder and Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran, Jayalalitha has time and again demonstrated that she is the "boss" of the organization.