After an uncertainty-filled 75 days in hospital, and a tense final 24 hours, Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa, Amma to millions of Tamils and godmother to legions of AIADMK cadres, was declared dead close to midnight of 5th Dec. by Apollo Hospitals. She was 68.
A popular and prolific filmstar, Jayalalithaa went on to become a four-term and six-time chief minister — she had to step down in 2001 and 2014 following court judgments in corruption-related cases, but was subsequently acquitted and re-instated. She is only the second CM in almost 30 years, besides J&K’s Mufti, to die of natural causes while still in office.
