QUICK ON THEIR FEET: Ruling party organisers decked up Kamarajar Salai on Thursday to welcome their leader Jayalalithaa for an official function. — Photo: N. Sridharan

CHENNAI: With the Election Commission working on its checklist to ensure smooth conduct of the Assembly elections, the ruling All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and the Opposition front led by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, appear set to kick off their campaign.

On the advice of the Cabinet, the Governor has summoned the Assembly to meet on Friday. With an interim budget to be presented on January 20, legislators consider it to be the last session of this Assembly.

But most Opposition parties have announced a boycott of the first day's proceedings, protesting the House meeting on Boghi, the day before Pongal.

While the DMK, the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and the Congress have cited the choice of January 13 as the reason, the Left parties are protesting the attitude and functioning of the Government.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has said that it will attend, but make its views known on the issue.

AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa has convened the party's general council and executive to meet here on January 29 to deliver the "election message" to functionaries at all levels. Party seniors expect her to come out with the "battle cry" that will energise the district and village units, besides the front organisations.

On a parallel track, the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA) is ready to kick off its `Oust the AIADMK Government' campaign on January 18. All the constituent parties are preparing not only for a "tough bargaining" for seats within the alliance, but also to take on the ruling party. Whatever be the differences on specific issues, the party leaders have kept asserting, "Nothing can divide the DPA."

A senior DMK leader says: "The Government is bent on foisting cases on our leader to step up its campaign. But we can deal with that challenge legally. Preparations have begun for our Tiruchi conference in early March. But the `Oust the Government' campaign will be launched next week. We are determined to achieve that objective."

As a prelude to what the Opposition has been alleging all along, a PMK legislator, representing the Andhiyur constituency, has resigned his Assembly seat and joined the ruling party.

PMK sources indicate that the "snatching of our legislator a day ahead of the session" will become a major issue.

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