Jayalalithaa spends a quiet day at home

AIADMK leader and chief minister J Jayalalithaa confined herself to her Poes Garden residence on Saturday, and chose to issue a three page statement asking the electorate to give her a huge mandate as well as to boost the morale of cadres.

While other chief ministerial candidates held public meetings and went out to meet people, Jayalalithaa had decided to take it easy. Her stay-at-home day is being perceived by observers as quiet confidence. She is usually known to wind up her campaign well ahead of the schedule put out by the election commission. Following a well-planned schedule, over the last two months, she visited 15 towns and her home constituency of RK Nagar. While her rivals travelled by van or on foot, Jayalalithaa took choppers to travel extensively this election covering all 234 constituencies in 17 days with a break for each public rally .

Exuding confidence about her electoral prospects in the statement she issued on Saturday , the AIADMK leader said that she had no doubt about people giving a resounding victory. Alleging that her main rival DMK was corrupt and antipeople, she reminded voters about her achievements in the last five years, stressing on power, water disputes and reservation for women in local bodies.

All seemed quiet around her residence and no big leaders were seen visiting her during the day. However, the AIADMK chief did issue a notice expelling two party functionaries in Vellore and Tuticorin from the party for "anti-party activities" but did not give any further details.