Oppositionn cries foul, AIADMK hails win as pat for development work

Chennai: AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa described the Srirangam bypoll victory as an endorsement of the development work done in the constituency, even as opposition parties flayed the ruling party, alleging the election was conducted "non-democratically". Thanking the Srirangam electorate for the victory, Jayalalithaa said people had accepted her appeal to make her party nominee win as a mark of recognition to the development work carried out in the constituency.

"I convey my heartful thanks to the people for accepting my appeal and making the two-leaves win." She also said the victory margin showed that "the AIADMK is capable of taking on the conspiracy of political opponents and emerge victorious."

Meanwhile, DMK treasurer Stalin alleged that "distribution of money has proved to be efficacious for the ruling party." Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President EVKS Elangovan said his party refrained from fighting the bypoll as "it would not be a democratically or legally real contest and such a stance has been proved right given the huge victory margin."

He also said next year's assembly elections would "teach the AIADMK a lesson for the murder of democracy in Srirangam." BJP state president Tamilisai Soundararajan had earlier said that NDA allies failed to come under a single umbrella to fight the elections.

"There were some problems between the allies and they could not campaign unitedly. Even other opposition parties were unable to show their unity," she said. BJP candidate Subramamanian said, "we promised that Srirangam would be upgraded as a model town under a Prime Minister's scheme. However, we did not have enough time for campaigning."

"We are also disappointed that DMDK chief Vijayakanth did not campaign for our party," he said. Hitting out at AIADMK and blaming the election commission indirectly, NDA ally PMK chief S Ramadoss said "what is there to get surprised they contested, they conducted and they won."

Similarly, Tamil Maanila Congress chief GK Vasan said, "the result was on the expected line" and recalled his earlier allegation that "instead of meeting voters what is being
witnessed is negotiation of price for votes." Jayalalithaa's conviction in a disproportionate assets case led to her disqualification as MLA and Srirangam seat fell vacant and she had to lose the post of chief minister as well.

In the February 13 bypoll, AIADMK's S Valarmathi won by a margin of 96,516 votes while DMK's N Anand came second. BJP and CPI-M candidates lost their deposit.