A list of welfare measures and freebies that the AIADMK government has doled out since it came to power in Tamil Nadu in 2011 formed the basis of Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s election campaign in RK Nagar constituency here on Monday.

Jayalalithaa, who resumed office on May 23 after being acquitted on appeal from a corruption case, is contesting the by-election for an Assembly seat from RK Nagar in north Chennai.

Addressing the first public meeting seated inside a well-lit van, she thanked the people who had prayed for her. This by-election was not something that people wanted, especially with the Assembly elections just a year away, she said.

Political machinations But it has been necessitated by the political machinations of her opponents, she said, referring to the corruption case in which she had been convicted in September 2014. She had had to step down following the conviction.

None of the opposition parties had fielded a candidate as they realised the AIADMK cannot be defeated, said the AIADMK supremo. Even the CPI, which is competing in the by-election, had praised the State government’s welfare initiatives in the Assembly, she added.

She listed out the various welfare schemes and subsidies including distribution of free rice and subsidised dal over the public distribution system, free household appliances for the poor, free cycles, textbooks and notebooks to school students, opening of subsidised ‘Amma’ canteens and ‘Amma’ pharmacies and a health insurance scheme.

She urged the people to vote for her and make her win with a massive lead. This should be a prelude to the coming Assembly elections she said to loud cheers from the gathering which had waited for hours at the busy traffic intersection. Polling is to be held on June 27 and votes counted on June 30.

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