After AIADMIK supremo Jayalalithaa’s funeral, now the spotlight moves from Amma to Chinnamma in Tamil Nadu politics. Chinnamma- Sasikala Natarajan, who stood by the late AIADMK leader through thick and thin, was also the one who performed the last rites before Jayalalithaa was laid to rest last evening is certainly attracting focus.

Watching her through the day, now it is clear to all that she is back at the helm, wielding clout acquired over the years owing to her proximity to Jayalalithaa. Even many predicting she may be elected the powerful general secretary of the ruling party. Interestingly, all 18 of her family members and close relatives, thrown out by Jayalalithaa in 2012, were seen back in the party yesterday, stood next to her.

However, the smooth transfer of power she allowed by paving way for O. Panneerselvam to become the Chief Minister of the state, it is clear that she is making cautious moves. In the politics of regional parties, people normally accepts family members to successor and hardly trust close associates. So, now it is evident that Shasikala is moving quickly to bring a close blood relative of Jayalalithaa into focus.

In this regard, the presence of Jayalalithaa’s late brother Jayakumar’s son Deepak at the funeral, by stating just behind Sasikala all through, as she performed the last rites, has triggered speculation that she and her family have co-opted him.

He has never been seen in public. A few days ago, police prevented Deepak’s sister Deepa from visiting her aunt in hospital. Their father died in 1995, and since then the family has led a low profile life in Chennai’s T Nagar, a middle-class locality.

Observers felt Deepak’s emergence by the side of Sasikala is “extremely interesting”. As a blood relation of the late Jayalalithaa, he could provide Sasikala the legitimacy to assert her claim to the leadership of the AIADMK.