Tamil Nadu - Chennai   

Disappointed, but not dejected

T. Ramakrishnan

AIADMK workers seek solace in Jayalalithaa's victory, good show in city

CHENNAI: Disappointed but not dejected. This was the mood of workers at the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam headquarters here on Thursday, as the election results trickled in.

"Amma (Jayalalithaa) has won. Some other leaders have also won," said a worker who had come from Guduvancheri to Royapettah, where the headquarters is located. This seemed to comfort the party cadre, though their party lost the polls.

Inside and outside the headquarters, workers in groups discussed the results. Some burst crackers to celebrate Ms. Jayalalithaa's victory. For them, the situation was totally different from what it was in 1996. At that time, Ms Jayalalithaa had lost in Bargur and the party got just four seats.

Some others were, however, disappointed that the party could not retain power, despite welfare measures such as distributing bicycles free and the farmers' security scheme.

Morale booster

Another factor that contributed to raising their morale was the party's performance in Chennai, a traditional stronghold of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, where it won seven seats.

"Our government's deft handling of the water crisis, by supplying Veeranam water, has been recognised," said a party worker, expressing satisfaction over it bagging Mylapore, T.Nagar and Triplicane.

At Poes Garden, where Ms Jayalalithaa resides, a group of women volunteers waited outside to see her. On Thursday afternoon, she returned home after a brief stay at Sirudhavur, on the outskirts of Chennai.

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