Jaya: PC’s election a fraud
Tamil Nadu chief minister and AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalithaa unleashed a virtually no-holds barred attack on Union home minister P. Chidambaram on Tuesday, questioning his 2009 election to the 15th Lok Sabha by alleging that it was achieved in a fraudulent manner. Consequently, Mr Chidambaram should step down, she demanded.
Mr Chidambaram retaliated by saying that her remarks amounted to “gross contempt of court.” His party, the Congress, too jumped to his defence, saying that her remark was an “uncontrolled statement” while the main Opposition, the BJP, was quick to demand his resignation.
Addressing a press conference on her first visit to the capital after her landslide victory in the recent state Assembly polls, Ms Jayalalithaa said: “Our party has always maintained that Mr Chidambaram’s victory was through fraudulent means. His continuance in the Union council of ministers is untenable.”
She added, “Mr Chidambaram was never elected to Parliament in 2009. He has played a fraud on the nation. Our party candidate won the election.” She alleged that the victory was secured by Mr Chidambaram due to a fraud committed by a data entry operator.
Ms Jayalalithaa’s remarks came in response to a question on whether her party had gone “soft” on the court petition filed by its candidate, Mr Rajakannapan, against Mr Chidambaram’s victory from the Sivaganga Lok Sabha seat in 2009.
Stung by the AIADMK leader’s charge, Mr Chidambaram retorted by saying that she has the habit of “starting on the wrong foot”. Dubbing her remarks as amounting to “gross contempt of court”, he said, “She has always had utter contempt for court proceedings and hence her statement today is not at all surprising.” He said: “She knows that her candidate, Rajakannappan, has filed an election petition in the Madras high court which is pending since September 2009. Her statement is therefore in gross contempt of court.” Mr Chidambaram further said Mr Rajakannappan had contested the recent Assembly elections in TN and lost from one of the segments falling under his parliamentary constituency (Sivaganga). He then wondered if Ms Jayalalithaa would call that election result also fraudulent.
Embarrassed by the AIADMK leader’s remarks regarding Mr Chidambaram’s election, AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi said: “How can any party give its reaction to such an uncontrolled statement?”
BJP spokesperson Prakash Javedkar not only supported Ms Jayalalithaa’s charge, but also sought Mr Chidambaram’s resignation. He said: “Everybody knew that Chidambaram was losing in the elections. The result was challenged. Now his position has become untenable and he should resign forthwith.”
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