Cars parked on both sides of Huzur Road, people moving in and out of the Idhaya Deivam Maligai, the AIADMK office here, the party functionaries closeted with district secretary and Mayor P. Rajkumar and glued to the Jaya TV on a Sunday morning said it all – they were there to share their grief and await instruction on the next course of action.
The party leader, Jayalalithaa, was convicted by a special court in Bangalore on Saturday in a disproportionate assets case and was sentenced to four years imprisonment, and with a fine of Rs. 100 crore.
Mr. Rajkumar said, “It is good that you have come. Please have a cup of tea, hang around the party office and when you leave do so without causing problems to the public. No violence.”
The party sources said that right since Saturday afternoon, when the news of Ms. Jayalalithaa’s conviction spread, the leaders in Bangalore had called up functionaries in Coimbatore and elsewhere and told them to not disrupt normality and do things that would create law and order problem.
What had happened – burning effigies and road roko – was spontaneous but nevertheless avoidable.
A councillor, on condition of anonymity, said that the Mayor had personally called up heads of various trade bodies – grocery store owners association, restaurant owners association, textile shop owners’ association and others – to reassure them that things would be normal on Sunday and that they could carry on their business.
Mr. Rajkumar said that he had also called up district administration and the police officials asking them to maintain law and order and punish those indulging in violence. “We don’t want to be seen disrupting life and earning a bad name for the party. It is the AIADMK that is in power,” he said.
The people, who had gathered at the AIADMK office, were also keen to know the developments of the meeting of the Members of Legislative Assembly of the AIADMK, which was held on Sunday.
Many foot soldiers of the party, men and women, were seen sobbing on party leaders, who had to console them saying that Jayalalithaa would bounce back.
The party leaders led by Mr. Rajkumar then went to meet party cadre who suffered burns while burning effigies.
The party sources said that the members had planned to stage a protest by fasting, but they awaited clearance from the party high command. They would decide on the date and venue once they get the green signal.
