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STATES: ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS
2001
Jaya Cries Foul Play
The
disqualification has, however, boosted Jayalalitha's efforts to picture
herself as the victim of a conspiracy. "I told you there were efforts
to prevent me from contesting and now the officials have succumbed to
Karunanidhi's threats," she says. "I have faith in you and only
you can give the final verdict. They have rejected my nominations in four
constituencies. But you should consider that I am contesting in all the
141 constituencies where the AIADMK has put up candidates."
Campaign rhetoric apart, even the AIADMK alliance
leaders confide that the absence of a chief ministerial candidate will
dampen the combine's spirit. A senior leader of an AIADMK ally told INDIA
TODAY, "Jayalalitha's disqualification will lower the confidence
level of the workers. Her renewed aggression will soon give way to frustration.
After all, there is no second leader to be projected as the chief ministerial
candidate."
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HIGH HOPES: Jayalalitha is all smiles despite the disqualification
verdict
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But the AIADMK grapevine has floated many names,
the prominent ones being T.T.V. Dinakaran, MP and nephew of Jayalalitha's
friend Sasikala, former Union law minister M. Thambidurai and Visalakshi,
widow of party leader V.R. Nedunchezhian. But it is unlikely that Jayalalitha
will name an alternative so soon. Says an insider: "Amma thinks that
naming someone else as the future chief minister will mean accepting defeat.
That will not happen till the election results are out in favour of the
party and all doors to chief ministership are closed to her."
The last door Jayalalitha would have to knock
on is that of the governor. However, legal experts feel Fathima Beevi,
who is a former Supreme Court judge, cannot overlook the fact that the
claimant is a convict. Other options like challenging the returning officer's
decision in court will be time consuming.
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Jayalalitha
on the stump seems to be the lady of eternal hope, though the distance
between hope and reality is growing.
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According to AIADMK sources, Jaya-lalitha is
not likely to handpick Dinakaran for a dummy. Even though she is close
to the Sasikala family, Jaya-lalitha may not make it the ruling family.
Thambidurai will be a better option. Moreover, Dinakaran is involved in
many misappropriation cases. He is a co-accused along with Jayalalitha
in the UK hotels case.
All these probables come into the picture only
in the event of the aiadmk securing a majority by itself. What if the
party falls short of the 118-seats mark? That will be another blow to
Jayalalitha's proud reiteration that she will not share power with any
of the allies. In such a scenario, even with a small number of seats the
PMK or the TMC can pressure Jayalalitha to share power. If Jayalalitha
remains intransigent, PMK leader S. Ramadoss could well be in the news,
perhaps as a fence-sitter, once again.
For the moment, the redness of Rosappoo Amma
is intensifying.
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