With Jayalalithaa in Jail, Focus Now on Who Will Succeed Her

Former Tamil Nadu chief secretary Sheela Balakrishnan, a close adviser of Ms Jayalalithaa, went to Bangalore today morning along with the Chief Minister's secretaries. Ms Balakrishnan is widely perceived as a possible successor of Ms Jayalalithaa, who will have to resign as the Chief Minister.

According to sources, a whip has been issued to legislators of Ms Jayalalithaa's party the AIADMK, asking them to reach Chennai by today afternoon; they are expected to meet at 4 pm to elect a new Chief Minister. Several supporters of the party have also gathered outside the prison.

Advocates of Ms Jayalalithaa told NDTV that she will apply for bail on Monday before the Karnataka High Court. The court will be on recess for the next ten days due to the Dusshera holidays and only a special bench is likely to operate on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Ministers and legislators who met Ms Jayalalithaa in jail say she has been suffering from acute pain in the knee, chest and stomach; she is also diabetic. The facilities in the prison are not adequate, they say, and efforts are being made to seek better facilities for her.

But sources told NDTV that the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has refused any special treatment. According to police officials, she is being provided with the requisite medical attention by the prison doctor.

Ms Jayalalithaa had a frugal supper in jail. "As per the jail manual, Jayalalithaa was served ragi (malt) ball, plain rice, sambar and curd rice with pickle," a prison official said.

As Ms Jayalalithaa has Z-plus security, the prison at Parapanna Agrahara on the city's outskirts has turned into a fortress.

The Supreme Court ruled last year that a convicted lawmaker can't continue as Member of Parliament or Member of Legislative Assembly and shall be disqualified from office.

Ms Jayalalithaa is also now barred by law from contesting elections for the next 10 years - six years after the completion of her sentence - unless the judgement is reversed by a higher court. She is the first chief minister to be disqualified.

Chennai and the rest of Tamil Nadu was on edge yesterday, when sporadic incidents of violence broke out at several locations following the verdict. Buses had stopped plying on several routes and most shops and cinema halls had shut down. The situation is returning to normal today and no major incidents have been reported so far.