Kangeyam: Sweat streaking down their wrinkled faces, thousands of elderly men and women and descended on the scorching Kangeyam four road junction to get a glimpse of their “Amma”.
They squatted under the scalding sun for more than three hours, patiently waiting for the AIADMK supremo. With water too in short supply, about 10 elderly women in their 70s, fainted on the ground, unable to cope with the sweltering heat. They were quickly rushed to the nearby hospital for treatment.
Many young women, too, waited patiently , carrying their little ones in their arms.”I am an ardent fan of Amma. So I came to see Amma,” said R.Sathya, a daily wage worker, says even as she pacifies her sobbing two month old infant.
“We got ration card because of Amma. She has done so much for our Narikorava community,” said R. Jaya from Dharapuram.
After the huge crowd had waited for over four hours, Jayalalithaa arrived by a helicopter at 2.15 pm to a rousing welcome. She delivered a 40 minute speech and left for her next campaign meet at Tirupur.
As the crowd cheered rapturously, AIADMK men sporting party caps welcomed her with ‘Chendai” beats and the women clad in party sarees offered bean sprouts.
