Jayalalithaa, Karunanidhi woo Srirangam voters

Arch rivals - AIADMK general secretary J. Jayalalithaa and DMK president M.Karunanidhi - Wednesday indulged in a war of words through their statements while seeking support for their party candidates in the Srirangam by-election.

In a statement issued here, Jayalalithaa said the by-election was forced on the people due to conspirators who were not able to tolerate the growing support for her and the AIADMK party.

"Srirangam is my motherland. Srirangam is my own house. Srirangam is the holy land, where my ancestors lived," Jayalalithaa, who had earlier held the seat, said.

Citing the development work being done by the AIADMK government in Srirangam, Jayalalithaa sought the voters' support for her party's candidate in the Feb 13 poll.

Countering former chief minister Jayalalithaa's statement, Karunanidhi in a letter to party cadres said the by-election was necessitated following her conviction, and consequent disqualification, in the Rs.66 crore disproportionate assets case.

He said a court convicted Jayalalithaa, sentenced her to four years' imprisonment and also slapped a fine of Rs.100 crore on her.

Karunanidhi said owing to Jayalalithaa's conviction, the people of Srirangam and other political parties are facing difficulties due to the by-election.

Four parties - AIADMK, DMK, BJU and CPI-M - are in the electoral fray.