Change of govt in TN by year-end: Jayalalithaa

Chennai, Jan 17: Asserting that the DMK government had lost the moral right to rule Tamil Nadu in the wake of Madras High Court's verdict on the violence-marred corporation elections in Chennai city, AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa today predicted a change of government in the state by this year-end.

''It is futile to expect that they will resign on their own.

Soon, the people will remove them from power,'' she told reporters at the party headquarters here on the occasion of AIADMK founder MGR's 90th birth anniversary.

The AIADMK supremo also alleged that the law and order situation in the state had deteriorated and the price of all commodities had shot up, subjecting people to hardships.

The ruling DMK's announcement of unbridled freebies with a view to 'deceiving' the people had made a mockery of the government.

''The government will go bankrupt soon with the way they have been announcing freebies each and every day. There will be a change of government by this year-end,'' she added.

On the split suffered by the Marumalarchi DMK (MDMK), AIADMK's ally, Ms Jayalalithaa said MDMK General Secretary Vaiko was well capable of handling his party affairs. ''He has handled everything courageously and deftly'', she added.

Flaying Chief Minister and DMK President M Karunanidhi for making ''needless remarks hurting the sentiments of Hindus'', she said people would punish him for it.

''It is against the law to make comments hurting the sentiments of people belonging to any religion. It is highly condemnable that a Chief Minister is violating the law'', she explained.

On a defamation suit filed against her by the DMK government, Ms Jayalalithaa said it was only one amongst many cases filed against her by the ruling DMK. ''I have been fighting many cases foisted against me. One more case doesn't bother me,'' she said. Refuting the DMK's charge that the AIADMK was against reservation, Ms Jayalalithaa said it was her government which ensured 69 per cent reservation for the Backward Classes and took efforts for its inclusion in the ninth schedule of the Constitution.

But, the DMK government had squandered the people's victory by not effectively arguing the case before the Supreme Court. ''The defeat is due to Mr Karunanidhi's lack of concern and callousness'', she charged.

Ms Jayalalithaa said the state government dropped its move to acquire farm lands and set up a satellite city near Coimbatore, only after the AIADMK condemned it and announced agitations.

Later, addressing party cadres, the AIADMK supremo asserted that the setback suffered by the party in the recent Assembly and civic elections was only temporary.

Reiterating that the future of AIADMK was very bright and there would be a change of government soon, she exhorted the cadres to work tirelessly towards taking the party to the seat of power.

''After MGR, I took over the reins of the party. After me, someone will take over. The party will continue to exist even after 200 years,'' she said amid loud cheers from the cadres.

Earlier, she garlanded the statue of MGR at party headquarters and paid her respect to the late leader. She also distributed sweets to party functionaries on the occasion.

UNI