Party : ADMK

Jayalalitha Jayaram, popularly called Amma, a former chief minister and current leader of the opposition of Tamil Nadu, was born on February24, 1948.  She was born in Mysore.  She lost her father at the age of two, she was educated in Girls High School in Bangalore & later in Chennai.  She was good in studies and was offered a scholarship for higher studies from Government of India, but her mother Sandhya, who was an actress in Tamil cinema, brought her daughter into the film industry.

She is the general secretary of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party in the state.  Before entering into politics, she is a popular Tamil film star and had a successful career as an actress in the Tamil Film Industry.  Her first Kannada film was a hit, then her first Telugu film `Manushulu Mamathalu’ made her super star.  She acted opposite Dharmendra in a Hindi movie too.  In 1980, she acted last in the film. 

Jayalalitha joined AIADMK in 1981 and in 1988 she became a member of Rajya Sabha.  Her relationship with MG Ramachandran (a movie star and the then chief minister of Tamil Nadu) helped her growing in politics.  After the death of MGR in 1987, his wife Janaki was sworn in as chief minister, but did not last long in the office, hence, AIADMK government fell. Both the factions of AIADMK (Janaki & Jayalalitha) contested the Tamilnadu legislative assembly elections in 1989 and the split allowed the DMK to return to power after 12 years and Jayalalitha became the first woman to be elected as a `Leader of Opposition”. After the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, she was elected the chief minister on Tamil Nadu in alliance with Congress.

She has seen many ups & downs in her political career.  She was accused with the corruption charges.  In the 2001 assembly elections, she was voted back to the office.  Her appointment was declared null and void due to the conviction on her of criminal offence.  She was elected the legislature party leader after the 2006 assembly elections and now playing a role of opposition in the assembly.

In General Elections(2009), Jayalalitha didn't contest the election, but, her party ADMK won 9 seats under her stewardship.