Jayalalithaa elected With 1.5 Lakh Margin
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has won her election to the state legislature with a margin of 1.5 lakh votes.Ms Jayalalithaa’s victory from the constituency of RK Nagar, in the capital of Chennai, was expected. The size, however, reinforces that her popularity has taken no dings despite allegations of a corruption scam that led to her brief arrest last year.
Her nearest competitor in today’s election, C Mahendran of the Left, lost his deposit.The 67-year-old former movie star was disqualified as a legislator in September, when she was found guilty of acquiring vast wealth during her first term as Chief Minister in the 90s. When she was jailed in Bangalore for three weeks, distraught supporters shaved their heads and set buses on fire; her party would later confirm that more than 200 people killed themselves after her conviction, distraught by the ordeal of their “Amma” (Mother) as she is known.
In May, Ms Jayaalithaa’s conviction was overturned by the High Court in Karnataka, where she has been tried to ensure the case is not prejudiced by the politics of Tamil Nadu. Her acquittal allowed her to return as Chief Minister, though the Karnataka government has appealed against her in the Supreme Court.
Ms Jayalalithaa, whose unflinching hold over her party is visible, has denied any wrongdoing. The RK Nagar seat she won today was held by her party, the AIADMK. The legislator from the constituency resigned so that she could contest the election.
Outside Ms Jayalalithaa’s residence in Chennai, enthusiastic supporters said the result proves that nobody believes their leader is guilty of corruption. “Our Amma did not do a scam,” said one supporter.
