Chennai: At the condolence meeting for the late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa and actor/ writer Cho Ramaswamy organised by Nadigar Sangam, which was attended by several contemporaries of Jaya along with a host of other actors, Superstar Rajinikanth confessed “During the elections in 1996, I spoke against Puratchi Thalaivi and hurt her and was one of the big reasons for Amma’s defeat then.
“Years later when my daughter Aishwarya’s wedding was fixed and was to be conducted at my residence in Poes Garden, she was a CM then. Being my neighbour, I wanted to invite madam. I was so embarrassed to meet her having spoken ill of her. However, when I asked for an appointment, she gave it the next day. We went and invited her; I thought she wouldn’t make it. Still, for formality sake, I told her that she should attend my daughter’s wedding without fail. Much to my surprise and despite party cadre’s family wedding on the same day she was to attend that, she said, ‘I will attend and ask my party member to postpone it for a later day’. She did attend as promised and spent some time at Aishwarya’s wedding”.
After a pause, the Superstar added, “Certain people excel their gurus. Jayalalithaa was one among them. Be it her political career and her in numerous achievements as the leader of the state, Amma outshone her mentor MGR”.
Referring to Jaya as a Kohinoor Diamond, Rajini said, “We all know how carbon buried under the earth over a period of time, becomes a diamond. It has to go through several polishing processes before you get the finer diamond. Likewise, in a male-dominated field, Amma withstood all the pressures and criticisms which eventually turned her into a diamond. And the cries and adulation of millions of her fans poured on her memorial made her a Kohinoor Diamond, which is sleeping next to her guru MGR (his voice chokes)”.
According to Rajinikanth, Jayalalithaa lived a lonely life. “Despite being extremely beautiful, having incredible name and fame, she had a lonely life. The lady single-handedly raised her party to a big level and made so many sacrifices for that”.
Even though she was not having good health, Amma ensured that her party won in the last elections and capture the power once again. “Amma took all the hurdles and the troubles in her stride and managed to transcend them into greater things. There can’t be a substitute for Amma,” he said in signing off. Rajini also shared on his friendship with late Cho Ramaswamy.
Nasser, Vishal, Karthi, Karunas, Sivakumar, Ponvannan, Vanishree, Bharathi, Latha, Sheela, Sachchu, Karthik, Ambica, Rohini, Gautami, Jiiva, Sangeetha, Vadivelu, Kovai Sarala, Vivek, Senthil among others who expressed their grief.
