CHENNAI: Setting the party machinery in motion for the State Assembly election that is just around the corner, AIADMK general secretary and Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Thursday told the cadre that she would chalk out an appropriate poll strategy to lead the party to power for a record seventh time.
“There is no standard strategy suitable for all elections. We have to chalk out various strategies to ensure our party’s victory at the hustings and to thwart the designs of our political opponents. During the 2009 Lok Sabha elections and 2011 Assembly elections, we faced the elections in alliance with some parties. However, we fought the 2014 Lok Sabha elections on our own and became the third largest party in Parliament by winning 37 out of 39 seats in Tamil Nadu. Similarly, I will take an appropriate decision on the strategy to be adopted for the ensuing Assembly elections,” she said, while addressing the general council meeting at Thiruvanmiyur on Thursday.
Earlier in the day, the general council had adopted a resolution “according full powers” to Jayalalithaa to take all decisions and chalk out strategies needed for the Assembly elections.
“Write it down in your notebook. The AIADMK had already been in power for six terms — three times under the leadership of former Chief Minister M G Ramachandran and three times under my leadership. The winning streak will continue in the coming years. This party will never face any defeat,” said Jayalalithaa, boosting the morale of the participants.
To serve the people, she said the party needs to ensure a massive victory again at the hustings; for this, the cadre should get down to election work shedding the differences among them. “Opposition parties will unleash false propaganda... The cadre should thwart them by presenting the facts before the people, and should remind them about the betrayals of the previous DMK regime,” she said.
Rubbishing the DMK’s charge that the recent flood was due to Jayalalithaa’s failure to issue orders for water release from Chembarambakkam in time, she said the Opposition had been parroting the allegation even after a detailed reply was given by Chief Secretary.
14 Resolutions Adopted at meet
Taking a dig at the apology tendered by DMK treasurer M K Stalin during his Namakku Namey tour, Jayalalithaa said, “People would never forget and forgive the acts of betrayal committed by the DMK in the past.”
The general council adopted 14 resolutions, many hailing the government’s achievements. Two resolutions urged the Centre to promulgate an ordinance to resume jallikattu and to extend `25,912-crore financial assistance sought by the State government for restoration and rehabilitation works.