Very happy news for many in Tamil Nadu, is that the AIADMK has won a resounding victory in the recent State elections. The victory for many is a symbol that there will be greater transparency and a return to more stable and traditional values in the State.
In a way the response in Tamil Nadu to Jayalalithaa and the AIADMK is very similar to the response in the U.K. when Tony Blair was elected and in the United States to the election of Barack Obama as President. Although both Western victories heralded a ‘new start’ we hope and believe that the upcoming tenure of Jayalalithaa will be a greater success than either of the aforementioned Western premiers.
In a previous election victory Jayalalithaa was reported to have said:
"People of Tamil Nadu consider me their mother . . . only a mother knows what a child wants," she said adding "I will prove to be a good mother."
To read an interesting article about Jayalalithaa, entitled, “Tamil Nadu election results: Jayalalithaa's massive comeback”, go to this link here
During her election campaign, Jayalalithaa had predicted that with her allies, she would win upwards of 185 of the 234 seats in the Tamil Nadu assembly. Her prediction proved insufficiently ambitious, as the final tally of Tamil Nadu assembly seats show that her party with allies, won 199 of the State's 234 assembly seats.
Party sources say that Jayalalithaa was so confident of returning to power that she had booked the Madras University Centenary Hall for her swearing-in as the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.
In the case of Tiruvannamalai District, although the AIADMK won six seats in Tiruvannamalai District, the DMK held on to the prize seat of Tiruvannamalai as per the below results.
I know many were hoping that the AIADMK rout would continue also in our own Tiruvannamalai, but sadly it was not to be so. However, we hope that the new State Government will also affect positive and auspicious changes in Tiruvannamalai.
Jayalalitha certainly addressed some thorny local issues during her recent Tiruvannamalai Rally. Most importantly she has declared herself on scrapping the iron-ore proposal in the hills of Tiruvannamalai, a roll back on SEZ’s on farm lands, and an increased support towards the agricultural community. All in all a very interesting speech, which is reproduced below from the Express News Service.
“AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday (May 6th) said that she would take all necessary measures to give a new lease of life for the sugarcane farmers, who have been leading a bitter life due to the policies adopted by the State and the Central Governments. She was addressing a mammoth rally at Tiruvannamalai in support of the PMK candidate J Guru.
Her package includes hiking the support price of Rs 2,000 per tonne, reviving cooperative sugar mills, ensuring uninterrupted power supply for farm activities, making available farm inputs at reduced cost, freezer facilities to store farm produce and rolling back of SEZs on farm lands.
The former chief minister said the iron-ore proposal that had come as a big threat to the locals would be totally scrapped. The girivalam path of the sacred hills of Tiruvannamalai would be provided basic amenities for the benefit of devotees. Besides, she assured rail link between Puducherry-Tiruvannamalai-Bangalore and Chennai.
Comparing her regime with the present, she questioned the audience whether they were leading a peaceful life without encountering law and order problems. She went on to ask, “Do you feel safe now? Are the prices of essential commodities within your reach? Can you think of building your own house?” to which the crowd answered in the negative. “During my rule, did you have power cut? Now your children are not able to study; you are not able to do your farming activity; and even you are not able to sleep well. Do you need this government? You have a golden opportunity to teach a good lesson to the DMK government and its ally Congress in Delhi by voting them out and free the state from their misrule.”
