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B. S. Raghavan

MS JAYALALITHAA, who took over reins as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on March 2, has been given an enviable chance to not only pull the State out of the financial quicksands into which it has fallen, but also in ridding it of the stigma of poor governance which is threatening to attach itself to it.

Clear vision

Her utterances immediately on assuming office have raised expectations of better political and economic management based on a clear vision of the right priorities. She has proclaimed her determination to achieve her goal of putting Tamil Nadu on top by every means at her disposal and by every thing in her power. Coming from her, this should not be taken as fanciful rhetoric or flighty ego trip of the kind in which politicians usually excel.

She has in her the stuff to make all this a reality. Let us take her strengths first. Ms Jayalalithaa is an extraordinary woman in more ways than one — self-possessed, incisive, master of facts, quick grasp, insightful and analytical. Besides, she conforms, more than anyone, in India's present context, to the dictum of Henri Bergson that an effective leader should ``think like a person of action, and act like a person of thought''.

Akin to godwoman

Her hold over the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) is total. It is doubtful whether even Jawaharlal Nehru, in his heyday, matched Ms Jayalalithaa in the intensity of devotion she enjoys from the members of the party at every level. Her word is law and her writ runs unquestioned. Part of this instant obedience is explained by the fact that there is none in the circle close to her or in the party as a whole who has even a fraction of her charisma, incandescence or capabilities.

Towering presence

More than all, her tenacity and courage. Take the statement that she issued on March 1 on the double standard of the run-of-the-mill political leaders who remain silent when the rights of the nation's religious majority are trampled upon and it is subjected to unspeakable atrocities by anti-national gangs, while they go overboard in condemning similar acts against the minorities and vie with one another in tom-toming solicitude for their rights.

Thus, if only she consciously leverages her strengths, she could certainly usher in an era of unprecedented political, economic, social and cultural resurgence in Tamil Nadu.

Biggest liability

Inexplicably, with all her acuity and acumen, in her earlier term in power in 1991-96, she had opted for almost limitless self- aggrandisement, insensitivity to public opinion, hostility towards the media and disgustingly ostentatious lifestyle culminating in the vulgar and universally despised display of pomp and power evidenced in the celebration of the marriage of her foster son. In all this, she came through as a personality yet to evolve to its full potential.

In popular perception, she is even today seen to be succumbing to the wiles and guiles of a mean-minded and caste-obsessed mafia which, exploiting her name, apparently sticks at nothing to fatten itself and its hangers-on by resorting to all manner of ruses, strategems and spoils. It is immaterial whether such an impression is tenable or not. What is important for Ms Jayalalithaa to realise is that it is so widespread among large numbers of even her own admirers that she can no longer afford to go by what she considers the truth of the matter.

It is time for her to convincingly demonstrate her ability to insulate herself from self-serving coteries which are proving themselves to be her biggest liability. That is the minimum price she has to pay if she aspires to carve out an admired niche of her own in public life.

Roughnecks on rampage

The second factor that is bound to vitiate her efforts to achieve the laudable goals she has set before herself is another widely held belief that she does not put her massive personal authority to use to restrain party persons who go on a rampage at the slightest provocation. There are many instances of their indulging in violence and destruction of public and private property to settle scores against those who merely seek to express a dissenting opinion or follow an independent course on issues touching on the party or its supremo. She could have easily ensured adherence to minimum decencies of public conduct by her party persons, but she did not.

One can be sure that in her moments of introspection, she realises the immeasurable harm done by this weakness of hers to shut her eyes to the repeatedly surfacing uncivilised behaviour of her party cadres.

Restoring nobility and grandeur

Of late, however, there are signs of her willingness to learn the appropriate lessons from mistakes. There is a new mellowness and human warmth as well.

She can leave her mark on national politics by giving it a brand new orientation harking back to the nobility and grandeur of the days of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Rajaji and Kamaraj. Will she, won't she — that is the question.

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