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Police refuse to let Jaya hold rallies in Madras

The police in Madras have refused permission to former chief minister and All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam General Secretary Jayalalitha Jayaram to campaign in the city on Monday night.

Jayalalitha had announced yesterday that she would address several street corner meetings beginning at 1700 hours as part of the AIADMK campaign.

The police said permission was refused as it would conflict with the tight security arrangements put in place for Prime Minister I K Gujral, who arrived in the city earlier in the day.

Police sources said a letter in this regard was delivered to Jayalalitha.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam treasurer and state Electricity Minister Arcot N Veerasamy had alleged yesterday that Jayalalitha, who was originally scheduled to visit Delhi today, deliberately changed her travel plans and decided to campaign in the city to create a law and order problem.

Jayalalitha claimed it was unfair and unjust to deny her permission to campaign in any part of the city just because the United Front was holding a rally.

"There are only 14 days for campaigning and there have been instances of rival political parties holding election meetings in neighbouring areas," she said.

Meanwhile, the Janata Dal's Tamil Nadu unit today boycotted the reception accorded to Gujral when he arrived in Madras.

The state unit had earlier urged Gujral to cancel his visit to the city as the Dal had not been allotted any seat in the state by the DMK-Tamil Maanila Congress combine.

The Dal had announced that it will contest 10 seats on its own, but backed down on instructions from the party's central leadership.

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