The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : AIADMK victory unparalleled, says Jayalalithaa

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 17, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

AIADMK victory unparalleled, says Jayalalithaa

Special Correspondent

Government misused official machinery, charges Karunanidhi

CHENNAI: The ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam described the victory as "unparalleled" while the Opposition described it as a triumph of money power over democracy.

Chief Minister and AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa said though the main Opposition candidate belonged to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the AIADMK had fought against a seven party alliance headed by the DMK. While the AIADMK battled seven parties in Gummidipoondi, eight parties fought the AIADMK in Kancheepuram. In a veiled reference to the BJP, she said: "People know very well which this eighth party is."

Talking to presspersons at her Poes Garden residence after both her candidates were declared elected, she said the AIADMK did not win with the help of any other party.

The democratic tornado that hit both the constituencies blew away the opportunists, she added.

DMK president M. Karunanidhi, while thanking the people who voted his party's candidates, and noted that the ruling party had retained both the seats. He said everyone knew that the victory was achieved with the help of money power, by contravening the model code and by misusing official machinery.

Pattali Makkal Katchi founder S. Ramadoss said there was no honour in the AIADMK's victory.

He said money power had won temporarily and democracy had hung its head in shame. The results of the byelections were not important since the bypoll was just one round in a game. The finals — the general election — was more important.

Hence all the partners in the Democratic Progressive Alliance should start preparing from now for the general elections, he said.

Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy described the results as "no surprise."

He said that unless a third front was formed with non-Dravidian parties to challenge the AIADMK in the general elections, the byelection trend would continue.

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