Chennai: The ruling AIADMK held a peace rally here on Thursday to mark the third death anniversary of late party supremo and Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and vowed to be united and win the upcoming polls to rural civic bodies in Tamil Nadu.
Clad in black shirts, AIADMK coordinator and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, party co-coordinator and Chief Minister K Palaniswami led a silent march from Anna Salai-Walajah Road junction upto the samadhi of Jayalalithaa on Marina beach, a distance of about 1.5 km.
The leaders paid homage by placing wreaths and showering flower petals at her samadhi and observed a two minute silence. Panneerselvam, after paying homage, administered a pledge to party workers and all of them vowed to win hands down the upcoming polls to rural civic bodies in Tamil Nadu by being united and through hard work, just like they won the recent bypolls to Vikravandi and Nanguneri Assembly constituencies.
"Rather than asking what the party did for you, let us ask what we did for the party and let us work with unity for the people," Panneerselvam said. The AIADMK leaders also vowed to be true loyalists to the party following the way shown by "Puratchi Thalaivi Amma," (Revolutionary leader, mother) and continue to tell the people the growth achieved by Tamil Nadu as a result of her initiatives and welfare schemes of the AIADMK government to expand the footprint of the party in the State.
The pledge also hailed the late leader, who died in Apollo Hospital here on December 5, 2016 after 75 days of hospitalisation, for "creating a new history in Tamil Nadu politics," and her stellar work without respite for people's welfare; to promote social justice, emancipation of women and secularism.
Palaniswami, in brief remarks, hailed Jayalalithaa for her "historic achievements," and relentless work for people's welfare even at the cost of her health and said her memories continue to be etched in people's minds. "Amma's fame will continue to prevail in this country though years may roll by," he said.
Jayalalithaa's burial site was decked up for her anniversary and an assortment of flowers were arranged aesthetically with red rose occupying a prime position. A grand memorial, modelled on a phoenix is coming up on the site of the samadhi at the Marina beachfront and a foundation stone for the Rs 50 crore project was laid last year by Palaniswami and Panneerselvam.
AIADMK presidium chairman E Madhusudanan, State Ministers including K A Sengottaiyan who is also a party veteran, MLAs, MPs, former legislators and party office bearers participated. Paying rich tributes to Jayalalithaa, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri in his twitter handle said, "I join millions of her followers & admirers in paying tributes to Amma Jayaram Jayalalithaa Ji on her death anniversary.
A compassionate & steadfast leader of her people she always led from the front. Homage was paid to Jayalalithaa across Tamil Nadu by AIADMK workers and her sympathisers who organised community feasts and distributed welfare aid to the indigent.
Cradle baby scheme to thwart female infanticide, all women police stations, rain water harvesting plan to replenish ground water were some of the schemes launched by Jayalalithaa that are still considered as pioneering and which won her laurels.
The silent rally teemed with party workers carrying the images of a smiling Jayalalithaa and placards hailing her. Traffic diversions were made in the city in view of the rally. Apart from party workers and leaders, Jayalalithaa's samadhi saw a steady stream of her admirers and supporters paying tributes.
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