Besides AIADMK and DMK, two smaller state parties, PMK of Dr Ramadoss and DMDK of Mr Vijaykant, a film hero, as well as the BJP have put up candidates for the by-election for three seats. Thus, it will be five-cornered contests in Thanjavur and Aravakurichi in Cauvery Delta region and Tiruparankundram near the temple city, Madurai.

Ms. Jayalalithaa's charisma, coupled with a hysterical popularity among the masses, specially womenfolk, and state-wide prayers for her speedy recovery would all seem to rule out any exception to her winning spree in the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections since 2011.

The fact remains she is not yet well enough to make a physical appearance. It can, however, be expected the AIADMK leader might still convey her message to voters in some form through Mr Panneerselvam, who is looking after the Chief Minister's portfolios.
The interim arrangement of governance had been announced by Acting Governor Mr Vidyasagar Rao, with Mr Panneerselvam being designated to chair Cabinet meetings, after his visit to the hospital to make enquiries on Chief Minister's health.

Eighteen Ministers have been detailed to oversee the poll process, as the ruling party's campaign gathers momentum in four constituencies including one seat in Puducherry where AIADMK has its own nominee.

The DMK, fully recharged after the May Assembly election winning 89 seats against AIADMK's 134, has planned a tough fight in the bypoll. Its Leader of Opposition in T N Assembly Mr M K Stalin, heir apparent to the Dravidian supremo, Mr M Karunanidhi (93), says even a single win could mark 'a turning point' in Tamil Nadu.

Medical bulletins from the Apollo Hospital where Ms. Jyalalithaa admitted herself on September 22 for what was then reported as fever and dehydration have continued to maintain she is being treated for lung infection and given respiratory support.

With teams of doctors of hospital and specialists from all over, she has been under continuous observation and prescribed treatment to which Ms. Jayalalithaa has been responding. There are no firm indications as yet of the probable duration of her stay in hospital.

Ms. Jayalalithaa affixed her left thumb impression to by-election nomination papers of her party candidates as she 'is temporarily unable' to sign them, a surgeon's certificate said. Such attestation had become a necessity for the AIADMK candidates to fight the by-elections, three in Tamil Nadu and one in Puducherry on November 19.

As general secretary of AIADMK, Ms .Jayalalithaa alone is authorised to sign the form that allots the party symbol to candidates. The doctor certified that the Chief Minister had 'undergone tracheotomy recently and has an inflamed right hand, she is temporarily unable to affix her signature. Hence she has affixed her left thumb impression on her own in my presence'

The DMK, with which the Congress was in alliance for the Assembly election and won 9 seats, had organised a protest bandh in the Cauvery delta region against Karnataka's denial of Cauvery waters to the southern farmlands. Mr Stalin had also called an 'all-party' meeting to consider further steps against the Centre's rejection of the setting up of Cauvery Management Board, a demand Ms. Jayalalithaa had herself forcefully demanded and had written to Prime Minister Modi several months back.

Except the Congress, none of the other parties in the State responded to Mr Stalin's initiative, The DMK leader has also been keeping up pressures on the AIADMK Government calling for white papers such as on road projects or threatening the Speaker with no-confidence motion if he did not set up Committees of the Assembly.

For the Tanjavur and Aravakurichi by-elections, where Assembly poll had to be cancelled amid wild allegations of corrupt practices, AIADMK has re-nominated the same candidates, DMK has also done likewise. In Tiruparankundram, AIADMK had won in May but its winning candidate died soon afterwards.

In Puducherry, the Congress Chief Minister Mr Narayanaswamy, a party veteran on the national scene till now, is yet to win a seat in the union territory if he is to retain his new post. He faces an AIADMK strong man in Mr Om Sakthi.

Except for the two Dravidian majors, none of the state-level parties or the Left had shown interest in contesting byelections. These were seen no longer to throw up any political trend though the DMK leader Mr Stalin thinks otherwise and is banking on his party making one win at least.

Mr Vijaykant, the DMDK leader, who fared badly in the Assembly elections and his earlier strong vote base had nose-dived, now feels he should continue to keep his faith in poll. His DMDK could even now, at least marginally, influence voting trends. PMK and BJP are in the fray more to demonstrate their continued political relevance.

On Mr Stalin's leadership, Mr Karunanidhi had so far been ambiguous whenever asked whom he would nominate as his heir. In recent months, he has referred to Mr Stalin's work for the party and as Treasurer but said he has to wait 'till nature does something to me'.

The elder son, Mr M K Alagiri is now out of the race, having been expelled from DMK for 'anti-party activities'. Father-son relationship had soured subsequently. Mr Alagiri called on his father some days back to enquire about his health. And if Mr Stalin's nominee for Tiruparankundram seat wins, he would see in it a turning point inasmuch as he could feel that the southern districts have moved away from his elder brother, who had log held sway over the entire southern region of Tamil Nadu.

Given the time required for treatment and full recovery of Ms. Jayalalithaa, Mr Panneerselvam and his senior colleagues and top administrators will be required to deal with some major urgent issues relating to GST, the National Food Security Act now extended to Tamil Nadu and involving additional expenditure, and guiding the State through the NE monsoon season with its pitfalls at a time the December 2015 deluge is still fresh in the minds of citizens. (IPA Service)