Painful devotion: man hangs on hooks from crane for amma’s health

So what explains the pain AIADMK party cadre are willing to endure in her name? There could be several factors. For one, she is an extremely charismatic leader, who has, over the years, won

over her cadre with careful image management. Her persona is her weapon in the political arena, and that’s why, her loyalists have held it dear. After the death of MG Ramachandran, a former

Chief minister of Tamil Nadu and Jayalalithaa's mentor, many came to her support, and openly said, “We want a charismatic leader. Jayalalithaa is the only person with charisma,”

according to a recent book on her by journalist Vaasanthi. Vaasanthi writes that she has made the “audacious observation that the massive mandate she received from the people was due to her

charisma alone.” Jayalalithaa believed that her charisma, her popularity alone, would carry her forward in her path to glory, she observes. Another reason for the sycophancy is that the

AIADMK is a party with no order but one, Amma’s order. Anyone could be noticed by Amma at any time and be catapulted to higher leadership. She has managed to have everyone believe that

unquestioning loyalty to her will be rewarded. Which is why, party-men routinely perform stunts to grab her attention and show how far they are willing to go for her.