Added to that, Jaya had to step down twice as chief minister in her long political career. The first was in 2001 when she was unseated but she came back within months when the court cleared her in the Tansi case. The second time was last year when she had to step down after conviction in the disproportionate assets case. A triumphant Jaya will take over as chief minister this weekend once again after her acquittal.

Jaya’s acquittal has changed the political climate in Tamil Nadu as well as the national politics. First of all, those who were predicting doom after her conviction last September have to sit up and look at the new Jayalalithaa after her acquittal. She might now become one of the most powerful chief ministers.

Jaya might come back to power in 2016 if she does not commit any mistakes of the past. She has already begun her campaign when she made that statement after her acquittal and included MGR’s name invoking his legacy. The other important things are to make sure that the opposition led by DMK is weakened.

The DMK chief Karunanidhi who was hoping to see her in jail has to contend with a more powerful Jayalalitha. Some of his party leaders like his daughter Kanimozhi and A. Raja are facing corruption charges on the 2G case. His nephew Dayanidhi Maran is also under cloud. His family is fighting for power. The other political parties like the PMK, MDMK and DMDK are not in the pink of health. The BJP had never been a force in Tamil Nadu and the Congress was routed.

Secondly and more importantly, Jaya will try to asset herself in the national politics with her strength of 37 M.Ps in Lok Sabha and 11 M.Ps in Rajya Sabha. Prime Minister Modi cannot ignore the AIADMK in his scheme of things. With his concept of cooperative federalism where he is trying to befriend even chief ministers like Mamata Banerjee, Jaya, who is supposed to be on good terms with him, will get a better profile.

For instance, Modi’s Sri Lanka policy has to take into account the concerns expressed by Jaya. This is true of the ethnic Tamil issue where the new Sri Lankan government is trying to make some moves. Jaya has also been insisting on the Katchateevu issue, which was ceded to Sri Lanka by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

The third irritant is the fishermen issue. Indian fishermen who are found poaching on the Sri Lankan waters have often been arrested and kept in jail. Tamil Nadu is making a big hoo- ha about it. This has to be resolved sooner than later.

Jaya has been making noises about the GST too. She will have to be taken on board on other legislative business in Parliament. The AIADMK as a block has become more important to Modi, as the BJP, it is in a minority in Rajya Sabha.

The major question for Jaya is whether to be friendly with BJP and get more benefits for the state or oppose it at the state level because the BJP is looking to increase its presence in Tamil Nadu. Jaya’s acquittal will be a setback to the BJP plans.

Thirdly, there have been reports about a policy paralysis in Tamil Nadu and several files and projects remain undecided. Jaya had started well in her third term and her schemes like the Amma canteen have been appreciated. She had planned many more schemes and the state machinery has to be geared to a fast forward mode.

Fourthly, Jaya may be careful in not joining third or fourth front and confine herself to the state until she settles down. Her first priority is to retain the state, which is not easy as no party has come back to power for a second time in Tamil Nadu as it believes in alternating between the DMK and the AIADMK. Her major task in the next few months is to sustain her popularity and also the sympathy wave coupled with administrative achievements.

Jaya has fought her legal and political cases with courage. This fighting spirit is what is keeping her in politics. No one knows whether she will call for an early elections riding on the sympathy wave or she will complete her term till 2016 May. (IPA Service)