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B’day girl Amma faces tough task
The AIADMK chief, who had quiet birthdays in the past few years solemnised the wedding of 60 poor couples and the wards of five party functionaries on the occasion, reports GC Shekhar.
AIADMK cadres marked the 60th birthday of their leader Jayalalithaa with unabashed extravagance and sycophancy on Sunday. Amma presided over the marriage of 60 couples to mark the occasion.
But amid all the celebrations, the AIADMK chief must remember that she needs to think smart and quick if the AIADMK wants to remain a force in Tamil Nadu politics.
At 60, Jayalalithaa has already been CM twice. She almost managed to ward off anti-incumbency in the 2006 Assembly elections, having denied the DMK a simple majority. But her failure to work out an alliance with actor Vijayakanth fledgling DMDK cost her another stint as chief minister. Vijayakanth has also managed to woo the anti-DMK MGR vote bank that till now, has been the AIADMK’s.
Now, the AIADMK only has a depleted MDMK to count on, while the Karunanidhi’s DMK has managed to hold on to its allies.
“Unfortunately Jayalalithaa assumes that the people will vote her back to power as if it is their duty without her having to work for it,” observed a former AIADMK minister.
