Jaya in jail: Will AIADMK chief's conviction take a toll on brand amma?

The Bangalore special court verdict on AIADMK chief and former CM J Jayalalithaa will not only have ramification on State politics but it will also effect the 'brand Amma'.

With the court's verdict throwing Jaya out of power, Tamil Nadu might miss the ‘Amma' brand of development within the State.

Her Vision 2023 document had detailed plans of how to take the State infront of others. Her eponymous brand has found its foothold in indispensables like salt, water, medicines, seeds and groceries.

Jaya's Amma ‘brand' of services a big hit in Tamil Nadu
Jaya over the last one and half year has started a number of welfare measures channelling her aura.

She has introduced the Amma canteen, Amma mineral water, Amma Pharmacy, Amma salt, and Amma cement. Besides this, plans have already been in place to set up Amma Cinemas.

Her Amma canteens aimed at selling food at cheaper rates, it also offer tiffin and lunch services, Amma packaged water bottles are sold at R10 per litre, Amma salt in which subsidised salt is available in three varieties: double fortified, refined free flow iodised and low sodium. Also, Amma Pharmacy chain to sell medicines for weaker sections at affordable prices.

According to a report in the Indian Express, Tamil Nadu will soon see the launch of 300 Amma Amudham supermarkets which will sell subsidised branded provisions. Along with that Amma Seed Agency for farmers and an Amma empowerment programme for farm women are also in process.

Undoubtedly, brand Amma, which has its roots in Jaya's famous wish in 2001 that 'she would like to be a mother to all Tamils', is fastly emerging as the mother of all welfare schemes. Not only the amma scheme provide commodities at cheaper prices but also in good quality.

Jaya's execution will hit brand 'amma'

Jaya knows how to win the hearts of the masses. She walked extra mile to attract investments into the State.

But, now as she is in jail, her ambitious schemes will surely suffer in her absence. She might have annointed Panneerselvam as her successor but he would not be able to carry forward her agenda to connect with the people that effectively.