With hopes of tickets to contest in the Assembly election, another batch of smaller political parties met AIADMK general secretary and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Saturday. Ms. Jayalalithaa, who met the leaders individually at her Poes Garden residence, thanked them for their support.
Among the leaders who met Ms. Jayalalithaa were P. John Pandian of Tamizhaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, Poovai M. Jaganmoorthi of Puratchi Bharatham, Thameemun Ansari, general secretary of the Manidhaneya Jananayaga Katchi, R. Viswanathan of the Tamil Nadu Mutharayar Munnetra Sangam, Sridhar Vandaiyar of Moovendar Munnetra Kazhagam, N. Sethuraman of Akila Indiya Moovendar Munnani Kazhagam, A.S. Fathima Muzaffer, a splinter group of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), and K. Chellamuthu of Uzhavar Uzhaippalar Katchi. AIADMK office-bearers and Ministers R. Vaithilingam and Edappadi K. Palanisamy were also present during the meetings.
Later, speaking to reporters, Ms. Muzaffer said she had submitted a memorandum containing a list of demands including release of prisoners who have served over 10 years, increase in reservation for Muslims and the revival of the Urdu Academy.
Mr. Ansari, who expressed happiness over being included in the “winning alliance”, said his party had submitted a list of constituencies from where it would like to contest. “She said she will decide and let us know,” he added.
Mr. Jaganmoorthi said his party had been supporting the AIADMK from the 2014 Parliament election.
“Opposition parties keep portraying their leaders as the Chief Ministerial candidate without even knowing what it takes to be a Chief Minister. AIADMK will win in all the seats breaking all records,” he said.
Dr. Sethuraman said his party had sought five seats and hoped the AIADMK would set aside some for them. State Minorities Commission Chairperson and moderator for Independent Churches of India Bishop M. Prakash said no other Chief Minister had done so much for the minorities and the poor as she had.
“She has given subsidies to Christians, Muslims and Hindus to visit their holy lands,” he said.
Meanwhile, actor-director R. Sunderrajan joined the AIADMK in the presence of Ms. Jayalalithaa at her residence on Saturday. He was given a party ID card.
