Anxiety pervades the AIADMK days before Justice C.R. Kumaraswamy delivers the verdict on the disproportionate assets case involving former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa but party cadre have their eyes fixed on 2016 elections irrespective of the outcome, according to insiders.
“Even a good student gets anxious before examination results, doesn’t he?” asked a senior member. “There is some anxiety, but our regular work has not stopped. We are going ahead with preparations for our internal elections and general council meeting,” said an AIADMK source, requesting anonymity, when asked about decisions reportedly put on hold until the verdict is out on Ms. Jayalalithaa’s appeal against her conviction.
The internal elections of the AIADMK to elect members to leadership roles at the village, district and state level – Ms. Jayalalithaa was unanimously re-elected general secretary in August 2014 – will be completed by end of May. The party will have to hold its general council meeting by the end of June to chalk out the strategy for the 2016 elections that members are confident of winning given “ Amma ’s popularity and welfare measures”, as a senior member put it.
The verdict of the high profile case involving Ms. Jayalalithaa, which was out in September 2014, has since been the pivot of political discourse in Tamil Nadu. All parties are pegging their strategy and political future to the outcome of the case. While many saw the verdict — convicting the AIADMK general secretary and three others – as reinforcing the rule of law even when the accused enjoyed highest political clout, some who followed the twists and turns in the case remain skeptical.
For party members, however, the verdict has hardly dented their leader’s credibility. “People are happy with her schemes. They want her back,” said a member, adding that the party cadre would channel their energy towards 2016 elections.
