CHENNAI: Sycophancy in Tamil Nadu hit a new low with some followers of Jayalalithaa's niece Deepa launching a fan club in her name and insisting she was a natural successor to Amma's legacy being her blood relative. Their “Ilam Puratchi Thalaivi Deepa Amma Peravai” has now announced a membership drive with posters listing out 'office bearers' and giving phone numbers to contact and sign up.
The posters and hoardings that have filled the wall space outside Deepa's T'Nagar house and also in R.K.Nagar-Jayalalithaa's constituency where it is widely speculated that AIADMK general secretary Sasikala Natarajan could contest the by-election-scream poetic praise of the niece while insisting that she alone is fit to lead Amma's followers orphaned by her tragic demise.
“Amma J.Deepa is the real heir to the two-leaves”, said a poster that sought to project her as the custodian of the ruling party's poll symbol, 'two-leaves'. A large 'letter-box' for suggestions has been placed outside Deepa's house.
A G Balaji, who claims himself as the secretary of the fan club in R K Nagar constituency, claimed they have been receiving “a number of calls” from people asking for details about Deepa. “We want Deepa Amma to claim our late Amma's legacy. Only she can fill the void left by Amma,” Mr Balaji, who claimed to be a member of the AIADMK youth wing, said.
Asked to list out Deepa's qualifications for plunging into politics and claiming her aunt's legacy, Mr Balaji evaded a direct reply. “We somehow want her to lead all of us. We don't know why…may be because she is related to our beloved Amma,” he said.
A sizeable crowd is gathering in front of Deepa's house everyday and she makes frequent appearances on the balcony to wave out the 'two-leaves' symbol of the AIADMK. She had also staked her claim to the MGR legacy on Saturday saying she would soon launch a political party-which could mean she was contemplating launching her political career as the head of a new party on MGR's birth centenary on January 17.
