Chennai: For one who was only a regional politician, albeit with national ambitions, the country’s Who’s Who in politics paid tributes on Tuesday to late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa.
Almost all political parties across the country saluted Jayalalitha after she died on Monday night following a valiant 74-day battle for life.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and H. D. Deve Gowda, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and Chief Ministers Naveen Patnaik, Arvind Kejriwal, Siddaramaiah and Akhilesh Yadav flew down to Chennai on Tuesday to pay their last respects to Jayalalithaa. Even the DMK, her biggest foe, saluted Jayalalithaa. President Pranab Mukherjee cancelled his other engagements to also fly to Chennai on Tuesday.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who could not make it to Chennai, said Jayalalithaa lived her entire life with the same “indomitable courage with which she battled her last illness”.
BJP President Amit Shah said: “Her work as the Chief Minister and love for the people of state will always be remembered. Her tireless and relentless work has brought about a sea change in the politics and working of Tamil Nadu.”
Veteran BJP leader L.K. Advani added: “She was the dominant political personality from Tamil Nadu and was a very popular, dynamic leader of the poor and downtrodden.” DMK leader M. Karunanidhi gave the ultimate salute: “The wishes of lakhs of her followers will make her immortal.”
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called her “popular, strong, bold, efficient, people-friendly, charismatic leader”.
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena said she was a “towering presence in Indian politics”. Jayalalithaa often took on the authorities in Colombo for arresting and shooting Indian fishermen at sea. –IANS
