Hand me massive win in Tamil Nadu polls, Jayalalithaa tells partymen

AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa

Chennai: Exuding confidence about retaining power in the Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, AIADMK General Secretary and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa today asked partymen to hand her an unprecedented victory by starting preparations right away.

Invoking the legacy of party founder and former Chief Minister M G Ramachandran, popularly known as MGR, ahead of his 99th birth anniversary on Sunday, Jayalalithaa said only such a win would add to the fame of her mentor.

In a message to her supporters on the occasion of his birth anniversary, Jayalalithaa pointed out that elections were around the corner and that "it is a heartening news" that AIADMK will continue in power under "your beloved sister."

"AIADMK should secure a win in the (coming) elections like one not witnessed in the earlier polls; a win that no other political movement in Indian history has secured. Such a victory will add to the fame of Puratchi Thalaivar (Revolutionary Leader-MGR)," she said.

She expressed confidence that the performance of the AIADMK government would ensure such a victory even as she bet on the various pro-people initiatives to see her party through at the hustings.

Recalling that Ramachandran had introduced her to politics, the Chief Minister said she had been following in his footsteps of public service even as she took a dig at her arch rival, DMK and its President M Karunanidhi.

Without naming Karunanidhi or DMK, she said "people will not forgive" them for corruption and family rule.

"People are ready to reward us once again with victory and the time has come for you to work towards accepting that," she said.

The AIADMK supremo, who had recently announced that she will decide her party's poll strategy at the appropriate time, exhorted her supporters to work hard for a massive victory, and reach every household and explain her government's achievements in various sectors.

"You should immediately start all poll-related works," she said.