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Tamil Nadu
By Our Tamil Nadu Bureau
In a statement here, she said, she had always maintained that she "depended" only on people and not on alliance parties. And, the Sattankulam victory had proved yet again that only the parties which snapped alliance with the AIADMK, stood to lose and the AIADMK never gained anything from its allies. The Chief Minister said her pre-poll assurance of turning Sattankulam into `Devankulam' (land of God) would be kept. Presenting her analysis of the poll results, she said though the DMK chief, M. Karunanidhi, had claimed that his party would not support the Congress candidate in the bypoll, the votes polled by the Congress included that of the DMK cadres as well. For, the Congress on its own did not possess such strength or influence to poll 39,451 votes in the constituency. By defeating the Congress, which was tacitly backed by the DMK, the AIADMK had created a new electoral history, she said. The "conspiracy" of the Opposition to fan communal and casteist passions had been thwarted and their criticism of the performance of the AIADMK Government, which was functioning well, had also been proved wrong by the people of Sattankulam. Ms. Jayalalithaa also took a swipe at a section of the media, especially, ``English newspapers," a few of which, on the eve of every election, would come up with pre-poll surveys that would invariably predict a defeat for the AIADMK. Immediately, a section of the media, particularly a few English newspapers, would "gleefully" publish them. Even after campaigning ended in Sattankulam, a few English newspapers continued to publish reports on the lack of winning chances of the AIADMK. "But the voters of Sattankulam have tarred their faces by offering us a thumping victory," she said.
Gross misuse: DMK
The DMK president, M. Karunanidhi, attributed the AIADMK victory to "gross misuse" of official machinery, spending crores of rupees, and promises of benefits which drew flak from the Election Commission. The people of Tamil Nadu were looking at what action the Election Commission would take for the gross violation of model code of conduct. He also took exception to the Chief Secretary's letter to the Election Commission stating that the Chief Minister had not given specific assurances, while the AIADMK's party organ stated otherwise.
`Money power triumphed'
Reacting to the Congress defeat, the TNCC working president, E.V.K.S. Elangovan, said money power and malpractices had triumphed and people had been defeated in Sattankulam. "Justice hangs its head in shame. But the verdict is not final. For, eventually, justice will triumph." The Congress would work with a renewed vigour to defeat the "evil forces" which had used money power to record a "temporary victory" against the people. He thanked those who voted for the Congress without being lured by "cash and gifts" and also the leaders and cadres of the "friendly parties" who issued a call to vote against the AIADMK. The PMK leader, S. Ramadoss, noted that people's faith in elections, particularly in the conduct of byelections, was being steadily eroded and what happened in Sattankulam, was another example. The Election Commission, which should monitor the poll, remained a "mute spectator," he said. "The result is neither the people's verdict, nor the end." The Dravidar Kazhagam general secretary, K. Veeramani, hailing the AIADMK victory, said the Opposition parties should at least now concede that people had unshakeable faith in the AIADMK. Reacting to the defeat of the BJP in the Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh and three northeastern States, Mr. Veeramani said it was a "deadly blow" to the party. The Social Justice party leader, K. Jagaveerapandian, the Tamil Maanila Muslim League president, S. Sheikh Dawood, and the All India Forward Bloc general secretary, S. Andithevar, congratulated the AIADMK on its victory.
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