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Jaya wanted corruption cases withdrawn: Vajpayee

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee tonight confessed that his days in power in alliance with the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam were the most painful of his entire political career.

He was addressing a mammoth election meeting at the Marina in Madras for the National Democratic Alliance before winding up his day-long whirlwind tour of Tamil Nadu.

Giving a graphic account of the turbulent period, Vajpayee said that even before the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government could be formed in March 1998, the AIADMK created problems by withholding its letter of support.

After the government was formed, Jayalalitha created problems from day one, he said.

On the eve of Independence Day last year, she threatened to withdraw support to his government. Vajpayee said he was constrained to reveal the two reasons why she did that.

"Jayalalitha wanted us to withdraw all pending corruption cases against her in the courts and halt ongoing probes against her by central agencies. Second, she wanted the DMK regime in Tamil Nadu dismissed forthwith. But we refused to succumb to her blackmail," he said to loud cheers from the gathering.

Vajpayee said he was glad that none of the BJP's other allies in Tamil Nadu went along with the AIADMK's attempt to destabilise the government.

Citing the English proverb -- a friend in need is a friend indeed -- the prime minister profusely thanked Chief Minister and DMK president M Karunanidhi for his decision to unconditionally support the BJP-led government during the crucial vote of confidence in April after the AIADMK withdrew support.

He said that like the rivers flowing across the country symbolising national integration, the DMK-BJP alliance would further strengthen national unity and integrity.

Immediately after the meeting, Vajpayee left for New Delhi by a special Indian Air Force plane. He was seen off at the airport by Karunanidhi, MDMK general secretary V Gopalasamy aka Vaiko, Karunanidhi's son and Madras Mayor M K Stalin, Union Power Minister P Rangarajan Kumaramangalam, BJP state general secretary L Ganesan, senior DMK leader Murasoli Maran and MGR-ADMK general secretary S Thirunavukkarasu.

UNI

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