This Article is From Jun 14, 2011

Stung by Jayalalithaa, Chidambaram strikes back

New Delhi: Reports that the Congress and Jayalalithaa may be flirting with the idea of an alliance have this to consider - the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu attacked one of the most senior ministers in the government today and demanded that he resign.

Jayalalithaa called on the Prime Minister in Delhi today and then, during a press conference, she declared that Home Minister P Chidambaram "has not won the parliamentary election. In fact he lost the election...he has played a fraud on the nation." According to official records, Chidambaram defeated his AIADMK opponent by 3,354 votes.

The Chief Minister said that in the general elections in May 2009, the data entry operator in the Sivaganga Lok Sabha constituency in Tamil Nadu transferred votes won by her candidate Raja Kannappan to Mr Chidambaram.

"Her statement is gross contempt of court," retaliated the Home Minister. "Besides, her candidate Raja Kannappan also contested assembly elections in May 2011 and lost from one of the segments falling within my parliamentary constituency. Perhaps she would say that election result was also fraudulent," he said. (Read)

Jayalalithaa pointed out that her party candidate had filed a case in the Supreme Court challenging the minister's victory. "There is no question of softening our stand. We will try to expedite the case." (With IANS inputs)
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