Deepa, niece of former Tamil Nadu chief-minister J. Jayalalithaa, has asserted that she would contest the upcoming R.K. Nagar by-polls in the city and win the seat.

R.K. Nagar, as readers may recall, was occupied by ‘Puratchithalaivi’ Jayalalithaa and fell vacant after she was declared ‘dead’ by Apollo Hospitals, Chennai which treated her in vain for 75 days during when it ensured that no photograph or video of the late chief-minister’s treatment was released to the press.  Mystery still shrouds the demise of ‘Amma’, as Jayalalithaa was fondly referred to by the people as well as party cadres.

The by-polls were to be held on 12th April this year but were cancelled at the very last moment after complaints of large-scale indulgence of cash-for-vote by the parties in the fray.  Deepa, who floated the ‘MGR-Amma-Deepa Peravai’ early this year, was speaking to newsmen in Trichy yesterday when she said she would definitely contest the R.K. Nagar by-polls and emerge victorious.

“Tamil Nadu Health Department looks helpless in controlling the spread of dengue,” she said. On another note, she said that EPS-OPS have come together only at the behest of the ruling BJP at the Centre.  Instead of worrying about people, jailbird Dinakaran appears to be keen in disturbing the present regime. I never said I’d join the ruling AIADMK but would follow the people and cadres’ wishes,” she concluded.