Janaki Ramachandran

Jayalalithaa's death and lack of alternatives makes for stormy succession battle in Tamil Nadu

But today's AIADMK has no clearly defined political successor, nobody to even step into Jayalalithaa's shoes. Jayalalithaa was AIADMK, AIADMK was Jayalalithaa

Jayalalithaa no more: Tracing the dramatic rise of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister

Tamil Nadu chief Minister J Jayalalithaa suffered cardiac arrest on Sunday evening, following a long illness. Doctors say that her situation remains grim.

Jayalalithaa's new biography charts her journey from movie queen to fearless political icon

Vaasanthi writes an objective account of Jayalalithaa's life, no doubt — there's no larger-than-life symbolism of the woman who turned from a glamourous actress to a de-glamourised caretaker of the state (she is literally given the moniker Amma, or mother).

From Jayalalithaa to Vijayakanth: Why filmstar power trumps political power in Tamil Nadu

With five chief ministers in the last five decades from the movie world, the way to the political power in Tamil Nadu is through building up star power.