In what could be a major morale booster to the workers of the AIADMK, J Jayalalithaa, the general secretary of the party, has reminded them that a life lived overcoming challenges and miseries was special. In her first communication with party workers since she came out on bail in the disproportionate wealth case after spending two weeks in a Bangalore jail, Jayalalithaa exhorted party workers to strive hard to ensure the growth of the AIADMK.
Jayalalithaa’s statement came on the eve of party founder late MG Ramachandran’s 98th birth anniversary which falls on Friday. For the first time in her political career, Jayalalithaa will not be visiting party office or the MGR Memorial at Mareena Beach to offer floral tributes to the memory of her mentor. This is because of her conviction in the disproportionate assets case by the special court judge Michael John Cunha.
“There cannot be life without challenges and miseries. But it will be special only when one faces it with grit and overcomes them. The life of MGR teaches us this lesson,” Jayalalithaa said in her message. Interestingly, Jayalalithaa’s message to party workers come following the announcement by Cho Ramaswamy, leading political commentator that the verdict by the Bangalore Special court judge is “not unassailable”. In his speech delivered on the Thuglak weekly annual conclave which was observed on Wednesday, Cho said there were many flaws in the verdict by John Cunha.
The only release issued by the AIADMK supremo since she came out on bail was to request party workers to restrain themselves in their protest against the special court verdict. Many workers reportedly committed suicide following her conviction in the case. The special court judge sentenced Jayalalithaa to four years imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs100 crore against charges that she amassed wealth to the tune of Rs55 crore disproportionate to her known sources of income. The AIADMK chief has appealed to the Karnataka High Court to quash the verdict.
Friday saw Jayalalithaa announcing the name of the party candidate for the February 14 by-election from Srirangam Assembly sonstituency which she had represented prior to her conviction. A comparatively new comer, S Valarmathi, will be the AIADMK candidate for the by-election. Jayalalithaa also announced a 50-member election committee headed by party presidium chairman to ensure the victory of Valarmathi.
The DMK has fielded N Anand, whom Jayalalithaa had trounced in the 2011 Assembly election by a margin of more than 41,000 votes. The BJP has declared that the party would have a candidate in the Srirangam bypoll while other parties are yet to make their stance known.