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DMK weaving a conspiracy, says Jaya

At a series of meetings in Madurai city in support of Communist Party of India-Marxists candidate Nanmaran, AIADMK candidate Valarmathi Jebaraj and other allies, Jayalalitha said she had vowed to protect people's welfare, but the DMK was "weaving a conspiracy" to prevent her from contesting the polls.

"The people's mandate is above all other judgments, and I am contesting, reposing full faith in the people," she said.

Hitting out at the DMK, she said it had "ignored the people's welfare". There were complaints that ration rice had been swindled and dhotis and sarees, to be supplied free to the poor, had been sold in the open market. Similarly, there were allegations of corruption in the purchase of copra, medicine and other equipment, she said.

Jayalalitha, who started her campaign four hours behind schedule, was given a rousing welcome and cheered by people, especially women.

In Madurai central, she campaigned without the Tamil Maanila Congress candidate. Barring Madurai east, where Nanmaran was contesting, only a handful of CPI-M cadres turned up. Volunteers of other allies, including the TMC, were not around when she campaigned.

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