Monday, May 16 2005 15:59 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's (AIADMK) win in the by elections to the Tamil Nadu Assembly from Kancheepuram and Gummidipoondi is a forerunner to the 2006 Assembly polls in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said in Chennai today (May 16, 2005).

"The victory is the people's endorsement of my Government's policies," she said.

She said that her party contested the polls on its own, while the Opposition contested it under the seven-party Democratic Progressive Alliance(DPA) banner.

"The votes we got are for our party, but the votes got by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam(DMK) are the votes for seven parties. Still we have won and it only shows that the people are with us and it is a forerunner to the next year's Assembly polls," she said.

Jayalalithaa said that she had complete faith in the people and decided to go to the people in the by polls without aligning with any other party. "The results have proved that the people are with the AIADMK," she said.

At Kancheepuram, it was an eight-party alliance, she said, "You all know who is the eighth party. I do not want to name it," she said in an obvious reference to Jayendra Saraswathi, Shankaracharya of the Kanchi mutt.

"The results are a good sign for us and a good beginning for the 2006 Assembly polls," she said.

Asked whether the results would create any split in the DPA, she said "wait and see."