AIADMK leaders pay homage to Jayalalithaa

Former AIADMK Ministers, senior leaders and party functionaries accompany OPS and EPS to pay floral tributes at memorial

File photo of AIADMK Coordinator O. Panneerselvam and joint coordinator Edappadi K. Palaniswami

AIADMK coordinator O. Panneerselvam and co-coordinator Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Sunday led the party in paying homage to former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, at her memorial on the Marina, on her fifth death anniversary.

Former AIADMK Ministers, senior leaders and party functionaries accompanied the two leaders and paid floral tributes at the memorial.

After this, they took a pledge to protect the AIADMK from “enemies” and said the party was an impenetrable fortress. “We will not allow our history to be changed and we will not let our enemies win anymore,” they said. They also hit out at the DMK Government, alleging that the party had come to power making false promises, such as abolishing NEET... “Did he [Chief Minister M.K. Stalin] do all these?” they said.

The cadre, in the pledge, also said the AIADMK had become an umbrella for the people during the rain. It had stood by the citizens during cyclones, making sure that water did not stagnate [during the AIADMK regime], they said. “But today, under the anti-people government [of the DMK], water is everywhere... Under the dreadful rule of this government, neither has the water drained, nor have the people’s lives flourished,” they said, vowing to change this scenario and “put an end to this government”.

Sasikala visits memorial

Jayalalithaa’s confidante and close friend V.K. Sasikala visited the memorial with her supporters in a car fitted with the AIADMK flag. Her supporters too took a pledge at the memorial, calling upon everyone to come under Ms. Sasikala’s leadership. They vowed to protect the AIADMK and to make the movement a national one.

AMMK leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran, who also visited the memorial with his supporters, paid respects to the former Chief Minister. Earlier, when the AIADMK leaders congregated at the memorial, AMMK and AIADMK cadre raised slogans in support of their leaders. When Mr. Palaniswami was leaving in his car, AMMK supporters blocked his and other leaders’ vehicles, and raised slogans supporting Ms. Sasikala. A minor scuffle ensued, before the police intervened. Mr. Dhinakaran, in a series of tweets, said his party cadre would not behave in an unruly manner, that too at a “sacred place” like Jayalalithaa’s memorial.