Even as one set of Amma devotees are camping outside Apollo hospital, day in and day out, maintaining a vigil and a prayer on their lips for her good health and long life, AIADMK cadres are up in arms over candidate selection for the local body polls. Demonstrations galore are taking place in different parts of the state and the height of the protests was seen at Alandur in Chennai where three aspiring candidates, denied tickets, climbed onto a cellphone tower and threatened to jump.

In Nilgiri district, a women who switched sides from DMK to AIADMK when denied ticket tried to self immolate by dousing herself in kerosene and tried to set herself aflame in Ooty.

In Chennai, supporters of Parama Kannan whose wife was denied ticket in Alandur, climbed onto the cellphone towers at Alandur at around 7 a.m. Several of them, party cadres, joined in the protests and shouted slogans against the local party leadership and ministers, holding them responsible for their plight.

Similar protests were held in different parts of the state.

Reports of hunger strike by AIADMK cadres came in from Vadapalani, another Chennai locality where rebels are likely to oppose the official candidates, promising a spicy local body polls, which are the real grassroots posts for which there is huge competition among the political parties.

It is the first rung in politics and this is where the actual action is – and even the established political parties take these very seriously.

Alliances talks that held true in parliament and assembly polls may get unstuck as no party is ready to part with its fiefdom – which is why the DMK gave mere fraction of seats to the Congress, throwing the party into a tizzy. The Congress has been demanding 20 per cent of the seats in local body polls, but the DMK is not prepared to part with even 8 per cent of the seats as it sees its own chances as very bright.

The ruling party, on the strength of its parliamentary poll and assembly polls performances, and bigger Amma brand and her own image, is hoping to sail through. Which is why there is a huge demand for ruling party nominations.

But Jayalalithaa has thrown out a majority of sitting councilors and denied at least 60 per cent of them seats, sparking off a series of protests, the likes of which were seen in Chennai and elsewhere.

AIADMK spokesperson CR Saraswathi said “those who are going against party discipline would be the losers in the end.”

There is no doubt at all. Everywhere, the AIADMK will win and the voters will give their decisive vote in favor of Amma. Of this there is absolutely no doubt as people want Amma to continue for a long time and continue her welfare work for all sections of the society.