BENGALURU: Tears, floral tributes and emotional speeches figured in the condolence meet organised in the city for former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Sunday evening. Hundreds of workers and leaders cutting across party lines took part.
The meet, organised by the state AIADMK at the Bangalore Tamil Sangam office, was jampacked with the crowd stretching onto the streets. An emotional Karnataka State AIADMK Secretary V Pugazhendi said the world would never see another leader like Amma. “She has done so many welfare schemes for the people, particularly women and the elderly. Amma will always remain with us,” he said.
Lauding her political achievements, Pugazhendi said, “Tamil Nadu had always voted the DMK and AIADMK to power alternatively. She broke that trend and brought her party to power again in 2016.”
The secretary’s speech left many women in the audience teary-eyed. Shantinagar MLA N A Harris said Amma’s demise was a “big loss not only for Tamils but for all people in the country. She has set the standard of how a leader needs to be and we must follow in her footsteps”.
The welfare schemes and works carried out by former chief minister were highly commendable.
Minister for Urban Development and Minority Welfare R Roshan Baig billed her a very popular leader. Bangalore Tamil Sangam president T G Damodaran said Tamils were in a state of “deep shock over her death”.