"Bypoll trends show people reposed faith in AIADMK"

Unfazed by the electoral drubbing received at the hands of arch-rival DMK in the Lok Sabha polls, the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu Thursday said the trends in the bypolls showed people had reposed faith in the party. AIADMK Coordinator O Panneerselvam and Joint Coordinator K Palaniswami hailed the massive mandate earned by BJP at the Centre, saying the voters had recognised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rule, marked by "patriotism and public service."

They also said the bypoll 'results', apparently, the trends where the party was leading in nine of the 22 seats, showed "only the AIADMK is qualified to rule the state." Even if the AIADMK retains the nine seats it is leading in, it would land a comfortable majority of 123, including the Speaker, in the full house of 234 members.

The simple majority number is 117. "The (by)poll results (trends) in Tamil Nadu show only the AIADMK is qualified to rule the state. Our party candidates have registered good victory margins. We assure that we will deliver good governance in response to people's expectations," they said in a joint statement.

The two leaders said they would work better and earn the goodwill of people of all constituencies. Contrary to claims that the party faced a bleak future in the absence of late chief minister J Jayalalithaa, the two leaders said AIADMK's "vote bank is intact" following the polls.

Palaniswami and Panneerselvam, the state chief minister and deputy respectively, thanked the people for voting for their candidates. On the "massive win" secured by the BJP and its allies across the country, the two leaders said it was a result of Modi's patriotism and public service.

"This victory is a result of PM Modi treating patriotism and public service as his two eyes," they said. While the AIADMK-led NDA came to a cropper in Tamil Nadu, the party, however, put up a more spirited show in the bypolls, winning three and leading in six of the 22 seats, according to the latest EC figures.

The DMK had won three and was leading in 10 segments.