Jayalalithaa’s connection with Kangayam developed during the successful contest from Kangayam Assembly constituency in 1991 is all look to be leaving a strong imprint in the minds of people in that area for the years and generations to come.
Though people in Kangayam generally refer Ms. Jayalalithaa as ‘Amma,’ many of them feel that she was ‘Kangayam’s daughter’ with the charisma she left while campaigning and mingling with the voters during 1991.
“Yes, she is ‘Kangayam’s daughter’. I also feel so for the love she showed for the region. She actually got elected from Kangayam in 1991, the year she became Chief Minister for first time. Since she contested from another constituency too, the decision was taken to relinquish the Kangayam constituency. Even a quarter of a century later she still held the passion for Kangayam which was apparent when we went with a memorandum to save native Kangayam cattle species,” said Karthikeya Sivasenapathy, managing trustee of Senaapathy Kangayam Cattel Research Foundation which is involved in conservation of Kangayam cattle species.
According to Mr. Karthikeya, she immediately took steps to make budgetary allocation for conservation of four native cow/bull species of Tamil Nadu including Kangayam cattle.
“Subsequent to our petition, an official even told about the passion showed by her for doing something for Kangayam resulting in the fund allocation,” he said.
Even Nalla Thambi Sarkarai Manradiar (popularly known as Rajkumar Manradiar), a former MLA, who unsuccessfully contested against Ms. Jayalalithaa in the 1991 elections at Kangayam on a DMK ticket, remembers her for the fondness and respect she showed towards his father.
“Cutting above the political lines, she respected my father Nalla Senapathi Sarkarai Manradiar who was a Minister both when Kamaraj and Bhaktavalsalam were Chief Ministers,” said Mr. Rajkumar Manradiar.
He went on to describe Ms. Jayalalithaa as a ‘nice person’ who never criticised him personally in the election campaign.
Some of the people in the older generation recollects how she mingled freely that time with the voters.
