Muted anniversary celebrations await AIADMK

Chennai, Oct 14: The 43rd anniversary celebrations of

's foundation day being held on October 17 is likely to be a muted affair after the shadow cast on it by the incarceration of party supremo

.

Every year, on the foundation day of the party on October 17, Jayalalithaa visits the party headquarters to lead the celebrations. Distribution of financial aid to indigent party workers and their families, garlanding the statue of party founder and former Chief Minister M G Ramachandran (MGR), hoisting of the party flag, distribution of sweets and release of anniversary souvenir has been the norm all these years.

However, since the party chief is now in jail, the mood is gloomy and the celebrations are likely to be muted, party functionaries said. "Party presidium chairman E Madusudanan will garland the statue of MGR, hoist the party flag and release the foundation day souvenir," an AIADMK headquarters release said here today.

The party has asked its functionaries to hoist the party flag in all other regions in Tamil Nadu besides territories including Puducherry where the party is functioning. The AIADMK was founded in 1972. Jayalalithaa was convicted in a graft case and sentenced to four years jail by a Special Court in Bangalore and is currently lodged in a prison in that city.

PTI