Amma, Kalaignar still maintain sway in TN

Chennai, April 16 (IANS) Former Chief Ministers J. Jayalalithaa and M. Karunanidhi are no more but it is still them that their parties - AIADMK and DMK respectively - invoke and rely on to seek votes in the Lok Sabha battle.

The ruling AIADMK's long-time leader Jayalalithaa died in December 2016 but it is her old electoral speech urging people not to waste their votes on any other party and only cast their ballot in her party's favour that is telecast as part of the party's campaign.

In his rallies, Chief Minister K. Palaniswami, apart from attacking DMK President M.K. Stalin, also seeks to leverage Jayalalithaa's legacy, recalling the various schemes that she had implemented in that part of the state as well as across Tamil Nadu.

"It is part of the ruling AIADMK's narrative that theirs is the government of Amma (Jayalalithaa) and the schemes are that of Amma," AIADMK spokesperson Avadi Kumar told IANS.

At all AIADMK rallies, Jayalalithaa figures prominently on hoardings and is shown towering over Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam.

Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing his rallies here, began his speech praising Jayalalithaa and AIADMK founder M.G. Ramachandran.

On the other side, DMK's Stalin and other leaders talk about the various schemes brought in by the late Karunanidhi when he was Chief Minister.

While mounting a strong attack on the AIADMK government and Palaniswami, the DMK President also says that he will not speak without proof as he is the son of Karunanidhi.

Similarly, other DMK speakers also stress the schemes implemented by the earlier Karunanidhi government.