CHENNAI: Chief Minister and AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalithaa on Thursday appealed to party cadre to protect the state from ‘the evil force and poisonous branches which want political power to remain with its family forever’, in an obvious attack on DMK chief M. Karunanidhi and his family members. She said the forthcoming Assembly elections would facilitate the AIADMK to continue its revolutionary political journey to share power with the poor, ordinary and working people.
In a letter to party cadre here, she said, “Family rule is anathema to democracy. Having the reins of governance, power and political influence within one family will shatter the idea of equal opportunity to all, which are the fundamentals of democracy, There is no reason other than greed for power which makes a family continue to hanker for power”.
“Thousand of new ideas should blossom from crores of minds. From such ideas, a democratic rule of the people, for the people and by the people should continue”, she said.
This is the first time when the victorious symbol of ‘two leaves’ given by AIADMK founder MGR is in the poll scene in all the 234 constituencies, she pointed out and said the party should win in all the 234 seats and add glory to MGR in his birth centenary next year.
“You should work with the resolve that party is bigger than the individual and the victory of the party is our victory. She urged them to work with full energy, assuming that “your dear sister is contesting in all the 234 constituencies of the state.”
She recalled that the AIADMK was founded by MGR “to eradicate the
evil force which is full of selfish ideas” and said she is firm in providing equal chances for all and uplifting of the society. Listing the welfare schemes of her government like free mixers, grinders, 20 kilos of free rice in PDS shops and low-cost food in Amma canteens, she asked the cadre to explain them to the
people.
Candidates file papers
All 233 candidates of the AIADMK and its alliance partners, who are also contesting on ‘two leaves’ symbol, filed their nominations on Thursday during an auspicious hour chosen by the party high command.
In all, 226 candidates belonging to the AIADMK and 7 nominees of various parties like actors Sarath Kumar and Karunaas filed their nomination before their returning officers between 12.50 pm and 1.20 pm.
It is said that the AIADMK candidates were asked to file their nominations during the period since it was “very auspicious” as guru horai fell during the period. Guru horai is favourable, fruitful and augmentative and hence astrologers recommend it for carrying out auspicious activities. Guru horai is positively more effective on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday.
In a departure from tradition, AIADMK chief J. Jayalalithaa had filed her nomination from R K Nagar on Monday. It has been a practice in the AIADMK to file nominations on the same day Ms Jayalalithaa submits her papers while contesting Assembly elections.
Prominent among AIADMK candidates are finance minister O. Pannerselvam, electricity minister Natham R. Vishwanathan, D. Jayakumar, Panruti S. Ramachandran, S. Gokula Indira, Edapadi Palanisamy, Dindigul Sreenivasan and C. Ponnaiyan.
