Jayalalitha avoids local issues

By P.V.V. Murthi

VELLORE, MAY 6. The AIADMK general secretary, Ms. Jayalalitha, completely skipped the local issues during her three-day hectic electioneering through the 21 Assembly constituencies in Tiruvannamalai and Vellore districts from May 3 to 5.

This is in striking contrast to the last Assembly elections when she made it a point to touch on local issues, especially the tannery pollution issue arising out of the closure of the tanneries on the Supreme Court's orders in parts of Vaniyambadi constituency which included the major tannery town of Ambur and the resultant unemployment problem faced by the people, which is a live issue even today.

Her stereotyped speech in all the meetings dwelt at length on the assets ``amassed'' by the DMK president and Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, and his family members and the spate of ``scandals,'' revealed Ms. Jayalalitha's intention to inject an ``anti-corruption wave'' against the DMK, centred mainly on Mr. Karunanidhi and his family members, in a tit-for- tat vis-a-vis the 1996 elections which witnessed an ``anti- corruption'' wave against her.

Voters in Vandavasi, Polur, Arni, Arcot, Vaniyambadi and Tirupattur said corruption was not an issue of importance in this election since ``no ruling party is free from the charge of corruption.''

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Section  : State Elections
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