CM has stifled democracy: Jayalalitha

By V. Ganapathy

TIRUCHI, APRIL 30. Democracy and fair election process have been stifled by the Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, for perpetuating his family rule in the State, Ms. Jayalalitha, general secretary of the AIADMK, charged here today.

Addressing a series of election meetings in the Tiruverambur, Tiruchi-I, Tiruchi-II and Srirangam Assembly constituencies, she said the Chief Minister was going all out to prevent her from contesting, because she posed a grave threat to his son, Mr. M. K. Stalin, succeeding him. Mr. Karunanidhi had, of late, been openly advocating that his son would succeed him. This proved the allegations she had been making for a long time that Mr. Karunanidhi was highly vindictive as she stood in the way of the Chief Minister crowning his son his successor.

In the neighbouring Kerala, Mr. R. Balakrishna Pillai, a Minister convicted for five years in a corruption case, was allowed to contest the Assembly election and that instance proved that democratic ideals were protected by the Kerala Government. But in Tamil Nadu, the Government was bent on preventing her from contesting. The Chief Minister, the Minister for Law and Justice, and Mr. Stalin, Chennai Mayor had been repeatedly announcing that she would be convicted in corruption cases long before the trial was over. Again the trio repeatedly said her nominations would be rejected. And under pressure, the returning officers rejected her papers.

The AIADMK general secretary said that in a democracy, the people's verdict was the supreme, and appealed to them to give their verdict in her favour so that the dictatorial and autocratic rule of the DMK could be ended.

Ms. Jayalalitha criticised the DMK Government for allowing militancy and secessionist forces to take root in the State and said the entire administrative machinery was misused to amass wealth for the Chief Minister and his family. Under the DMK rule, the farmers, the weavers, the small scale industrialists, and all sections were badly hit. The electorate should vote out the `corrupt' DMK Government to usher in MGR rule, she exhorted.

Thousands of people lined the route of the convoy, braving the hot sun, as she canvassed votes for Mr. Dalit Ezhumalai for the Tiruchi Lok Sabha seat, Mr. K. K. Subramanian, AIADMK candidate (Srirangam), Mr. T. K. Rangarajan, CPI(M) (Tiruverambur), Mr. Khader Mohideen, IUML (Tiruchi I) and Mr. P. C. Selvaraj, Congress candidate in the Tiruchi II constituency.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : State Elections
Previous : Azhagiri move no surprise: Speaker
Next     : A stabbing comparison, says Chidambaram