From correspondents in India, 12:31 AM IST

Former Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalitha Sunday cancelled her scheduled visit here to campaign for the ruling Samajwadi Party in the assembly polls.

A Samajwadi Party source here said: 'Jayalalitha had to give up her plan to come here on account of a blast in Tamil Nadu.' As many as 17 people were killed in a freak vehicle blast in the state Saturday.

According to the source, it was not known whether the AIADMK chief had made any alternative plan to campaign for Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav during the seven-phased assembly elections that commenced Saturday.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)