New Delhi: Union Home Minister P Chidambaram reacted strongly to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's comments that his victory in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections was "fraud". Chidambaram issued a statement on Tuesday and claimed that Jayalalithaa's statement was a contempt of court as the Madras High Court was hearing the case related to to his election victory.
"Miss Jayalalithaa, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu has the habit of starting on the wrong foot. I have learnt that she has made a statement questioning my election to the Lok Sabha in 2009. She knows that her candidate Sri Raja Kannappan has filed an election petition in Madras High Court which is pending since September 2009. Her statement is therefore gross contempt of court. She has always had utter contempt of court proceedings and hence a statement today is not at all surprising," the statement said.
"Besides her candidate Sri Raja Kannappan also contested the May 2011 assembly elections and lost from one of the segments falling within my parliamentary constituency. Perhaps she would say that that election results was also fraudulent," the statement added.
Jayalalithaa after meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his residence at 7 Race Course Road in New Delhi addressed a press conference and demanded the Chidambaram, accusing him of securing a fraudulent victory in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections.
Coming down heavily on Chidambaram she accused him of playing "a fraud on the nation" and alleged that there were irregularities during the counting at Sivaganga constituency from where Chidambaram was elected.
"Chidambaram lost the election in 2009 and AIADMK candidate won. The case is in the court. There is no softening in our stand," she said.
A petition challenging Chidambaram's election is pending before the Madras High Court.
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