The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) workers observed fast at different places in the Srirangam Assembly constituency on Monday in the wake of conviction of their party leader Jayalalithaa by a special court in Bangalore in the disproportionate assets case.
The day-long fasts were organised at Srirangam, Manikandam, and Pettavaithalai — falling under the Srirangam constituency from where Ms. Jayalalithaa was elected as an MLA during the 2011 Assembly elections.
The fast was observed to condemn the “fabricated” case booked against Ms. Jayalalithaa and against the unfair verdict.
More than 150 AIADMK members, including several women led by the party’s Srirangam branch secretary G. Thirupathi, observed day-long token fast in the temple town. They wore black badges to express their protest against the conviction.
Mr. Thirupathi alleged that the case against his party leader had been booked out of vendetta. Some “traitors” who were unable to digest the triumph of his party leader in the Cauvery river issue and in the recent Parliamentary polls had conspired against her, he said.
He expressed hope that Ms. Jayalalithaa would come out unscathed from the case and contest again from Srirangam and get elected again. No evil force could ruin or win over Ms. Jayalalithaa, said S. Shanthi, the party’s Srirangam branch women’s wing joint secretary.
People of the State had not forgotten the welfare schemes implemented by Ms. Jayalalithaa and stood solidly behind her, Ms. Shanthi added.
Those unable to absorb the tremendous growth and popularity of the AIADMK leader had joined hands against her, said S. Tamizharasi, urban district secretary of the party’s women’s wing.
The party had expressed its protest against the conviction in a peaceful manner by observing fast, she added. The fast at Pettavaithalai was led by the Andhanallur union secretary Alagesan and at Manikandam by the Manikandam union secretary Muthukaruppan.
