Jaya's early LS campaign a ploy to skip court: DMK

Opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has accused chief minister Jayalalitha of announcing her campaign ahead of formal EC notification for the Lok Sabha polls to skip appearing in the Bangalore special court trying the disproportionate assets case against her.

Wanting to be off the block ahead of the other parties, the Tamil Nadu chief minister announced on Monday that she would hit the campaign trail across the state from March 03 and released her party’s election manifesto on Tuesday.

"The case in Bangalore Court has reached the final stage. The judge is firm that all the accused related to the case should have to be present in the Court when the hearing comes. At this juncture, she (Jayalalitha) is searching for new reasons to escape from appearing in court, which is hearing a disproportionate wealth case against her", DMK chief M Karunanidhi said on Wednesday. Claiming that the chief minister had convened the Assembly and hurried through its proceedings recently just to skip court appearance, Karunanidhi said: “Likewise, she (Jayalalitha) would cite the Lok Sabha campaign to avoid appearing in the court.”

His younger son and DMK leader M K Stalin reiterated the charges when he spoke at a marriage function. “What is the need for the urgency in announcing candidates for the (Lok Sabha) elections and releasing the manifesto? This clearly reveals that she has no plans to appear before the court,” Stalin said.