Chennai: Summer appears to have set in early, forcing people to avoid the mid-day sun. But unmindful of the intense heat, a few senior leaders have been campaigning in full swing for the AIADMK candidates in the city’s three Lok Sabha constituencies.
The exercise appears to be lacklustre and the heat anddust of the campaign is expected to rise when AIADMK supremo and Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa begins her electioneering here on April 19. Many in the party are waiting for her to electrify the campaign for she is positioning herself to wield power and influence in the next government in Delhi.
Ms Jayalalithaa who has been campaigning since the past month in various districts in the state, addressing enthusiastic crowds, and urging them to throw out the corrupt Congress and DMK, who have let down TN, will hit the campaign trail at Central Chennai and North Chennai constituencies on April 19 and South Chennai and Alandur assembly constituency (facing a bypoll) on April 21.
The BJP-led NDA, however, appears to have taken the lead, despite being a late starter. Alliance leaders, DMDK founder Vijayakanth and Premalatha Vijayakanth are busy campaigning for the BJP, dru ming up support for Narendra Modi.
Mr Vijayakanth will campaign in South Chennai Lok Sabha constituency on Thursday. Firebrand leader Vaiko, MDMK chief, is expected to campaign for the NDA candidates in the city on April 4, while Dr. S. Ramadoss, PMK founder, plans to launch a campaign for NDA soon. DMK chief M. Karunanidhi launched his election ca paign in the city on Wednesday evening.
The ‘isolated’ Congress in Tamil Nadu appears to find itself immobilised in the electioneering exercise, with many of its seniors, like Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, bowing out of the contest.
