Jayalalithaa will boycott bypolls

AIADMK’s executive committee, which met at Conoor near Ooty on Monday, decided to boycott the byelections to Ilayangudi (Sivaganga district), Thondamuthur (Coimbatore), Cumbum (Theni), Bargur (Krishnagiri) and Srivaikundam (Tuticorin) assembly constituencies scheduled to be held on August 18.

With general secretary J Jayalalithaa taking a break in Ooty, the AIADMK decided to boycott the bypolls stating there was no hope of free, fair and impartial elections with the DMK and UPA at the helm.

“With the ruling DMK having the full support of the central government headed by the Congress, there is no hope that the Election Commission will conduct free, fair and impartial polls,” a resolution passed at the meeting said.

Deputy leader of opposition O Panneerselvam, who was present in the assembly on Monday, accused the DMK of indulging in unfair practices to win the Thirumangalam byelection in Madurai in January.

Jayalalithaa has been maintaining a low profile after the parliamentary polls where her alliance did not perform well. It won 12 seats (nine AIADMK, one each by CPI, CPM and MDMK). The party had formed a new alliance with PMK, MDMK, CPI and CPM for the parliamentary elections.