Chennai:
The DMK's biggest offensive against the ruling AIADMK turned into Kanimozhi's first major public event after her release from jail. It put her in the limelight at her home turf, Chennai, as her father and DMK Chief Karunanidhi chose to be at home. The spotlight instead switched to his daughter dear who led the DMK's jail bharo at Saidapet in the heart of the city.
The DMK MP cheered her cadre by joining in their slogan shouting against what they call the Jayalalithaa government's repressive regime and political vendetta and courted arrest along with more than a thousand cadre.
Kanimozhi said "the AIADMK government is indulging in vindictive politics from day one and this is DMK's answer to AIADMK's vendetta politics". She added, "Public will answer AIADMK in 2014 Lok Sabha polls".
During Karunanidhi's last term as Chief Minister between 2006 and 2011 Kanimozhi projected herself as the literary and cultural heir of the DMK Chief. She became the face of Chennai Sangamam, a Tamil cultural festival that showcased folk art. But her arrest along with former Telecom Minister A Raja last year turned public perception hostile to the DMK and it led to the party's defeat in the assembly polls. With the DMK setting eyes on the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, this is seen as Kanimozhi's attempt to build her image politically, amidst her half-brothers at war for the party's presidentship.
Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has said in the past that the arrest of DMK leaders and cadre on land grab charges are based on genuine complaints by apolitical victims. Would the DMK do any soul searching at all, to rein in on those who might have gone overboard?
Kanimozhi's answer is "this is not the time for DMK to do soul searching. It's for the public and media to do some soul searching".