All you need to know about Deepa Jayakumar

 

Deepa Jayakumar, the niece of Jayalalithaa hit the headlines when her aunt was in hospital and she was denied entry to the Apollo Hospital. A saddened Deepa left the premises, stung by the rejection and expressed her doubts that something ‘fishy’ was happening in the hospital.

 

Then on December 5, 2016 when Jayalalithaa died due to a cardiac arrest, she was shocked and emotional that she was unable to visit her aunt one last time. At that time when the name of Sasikala as AIADMK’s General Secretary began to do the rounds, Deepa decided that she could not let that happen and announced that as the closest living heir to Jayalalithaa, she was much more suitable to follow in the footsteps of Amma.

 

She even got the name Junior Amma or “Ilaya Puratchi Thalaivi” (Young revolutionary leader) and started dressing the way Jayalalithaa did, wearing her hair the same way as Amma did and more. Posters emphasising their likeness were also put up. In the Sasikala versus O Panneerselvam fight for the seat of Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Deepa sided with OPS,but she let everybody know that she, a political rookie, was here to stay and that she would not be counted out just yet, despite the seat going to Sasikala nominee Edappadi Palanisami.

 

 Deepa Jayakumar with her husband Madhavan at the launch of her new party "MGR Amma Deepa Peravai" at her residence in Chennai. (Photo: PTI)

 

Now Deepa Jayakumar has M G Ramachandran and Amma to stand by her, via her new political party MGR Amma Deepa Peravai.  Releasing what she claimed was a new party flag at her residence in Chennai, Deepa, 42, said her intention was to “revive Amma’s AIADMK”. 

 

Deepa said she will contest elections from the RK Nagar constituency which was Jayalalithaa’s bastion and that she was also still supporting former chief minister O Panneerselvam.

 

 

This is what is mostly known about Deepa Jayakumar, the political candidate. Let’s take a look at where Deepa comes from and her connections to the political drama that began with her famous aunt Jayalalithaa’s death.

 

Deepa is Jayakumar, Jayalalithaa’s brother’s daughter. Deepa has lost both her parents and her physical similarity with Jayalalithaa is what made the two bond at one point of time. Incidentally, Deepa  was born at Veda Nilayam, Jayalalithaa’s Poes Garden home, where Jayakumar was also said to previously stay. Due to differences between the brother-sister duo, Jayakumar moved out and since then the aunt-niece relationship was also strained. 

 

 

Deepa did her media and communications study in the UK and settled there with husband Madhavan. Deepa’s mother, Vijaya Laxmi, passed away in 2013 some years after husband Jayakumar’s demise in 1995. At that time she had the support of her brother Deepak, who was seen at Jayalalithaa’s funeral as well. Ironically, Deepa could not participate in Amma’s funeral as the stage was hogged by Sasikala and the AIADMK cadres, leaving her to see Amma for the last time after she was lowered into the grave at the Marina Beach memorial.

 

Currently, the political situation in Tamil Nadu is still volatile. O Panneerselvam is trying to rally his troops, Sasikala, though in jail is trying to make sure AIADMK is on a tight leash held by E Palanisami and here is Deepa hoping to create a foothold for herself among these old political players – her claim- Amma’s heir and her aim – further Amma’s legacy.