Chennai: Will the acquittal of AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa bring forward the next general elections in Tamil Nadu? Political observers believe so, certainly if the party wants to ride on the sympathy wave in her favour.
It is barely a year to the Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, and Jayalalithaa if sworn in chief minister this week, will be elected an MLA in six months’ time. So why not go for a snap poll?
Read: Disproportionate assets: Jayalalithaa acquitted, likely to be back as chief minister on Wednesday
Political analyst Gnani Sankaran said Jayalalithaa would certainly become chief minister after the acquittal. “After Jayalalithaa becomes chief minister, she will go for snap polls as only one year is left for the next Assembly elections. AIADMK will make use of the present political situation to campaign the ‘false case’ foisted on her by the then DMK regime. They will also use the words ‘political vendetta’ liberally,” he said, noting that even if an appeal is filed in the Supreme Court against the verdict, it would take at least six months or more. “So AIADMK will go for snap polls,” he said.
CPI(M) state secretary G. Ramakrishnan said Jayalaithaa’s acquittal does not change the political scenario in the state. “The AIADMK government’s anti-people actions, its corruption and inability to strengthen the law-and-order machinery have created a big impact among the people,” he opined. He added the Karnataka High court order is not a final one and that the prosecution would appeal against the verdict in the Supreme Court.
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Jayalalithaa met party MLAs at her Poes Garden residence on Monday after the Karnataka High Court verdict.
She was also expected to visit her party headquarters in Royapettah later in the afternoon -- the first time since September last when she was convicted by the special court in Bengaluru. Chief minister O Panneerselvam and his cabinet colleagues are also likely to submit the resignation to Governor K Rosaiah later today to pave way for the formal election of Jayalalithaa as legislative party leader and her subsequent swearing-in as CM.
