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Jaya breaks TN front, backs Left strike against BJP government

In a significant move that may signal parting of ways with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led ruling coalition at the Centre, All India Anna DMK chief J Jayalalitha has announced her party's support to the December 11 general strike called by the Left and other Opposition parties to protest against "anti-people" policies of the government and also the break up of the AIADMK-led front in Tamil Nadu which has three ardently pro-BJP parties.

Reiterating that she was keeping her party's options open, she told the media at the Madras airport on her return from Hyderabad that she would not, however, be responsible for any mid-term poll.

She said she was unhappy with the functioning of the Vajpayee government, as also the way the Union Cabinet was expanded on December 5.

She described the outcome of the recent assembly elections in four states as a clear vote against the BJP.

Jayalalitha also said, "There is no AIADMK-led front in Tamil Nadu now."

Stating that the front was formed to fight the last Lok Sabha elections, she said there would be a new front to fight the next elections as and when it came.

The Pattali Makkal Katchi, the Marumalarchi DMK, Tamizhaga Rajiv Congress, the Janata Party and the BJP had been the front constituents.

She clarified that Janata Party, headed by Dr Subramanian Swamy, was still with her party.

Asked about the PMK's recent observation that the party was still in the AIADMK-led front, she said, "I don't know how it is possible."

When a reporter pointed out that she had held talks with front partners, she said this was a long time ago.

Differences in the front had arisen following Jayalalitha's decision to review the front's support to the Vajpayee government. The PMK, MDMK and TRC had openly declared that they would continue to support the government even if the AIADMK withdrew support to it.

Interestingly, leaders of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and its allies in Tamil Nadu have also extended their support to the general strike, and appealed to the workers to desist from blocking trains and buses on that day.

The meeting, attended by leaders of Tamil Maanila Congress, Left parties and Janata Dal besides the DMK, sought the cooperation of the workers, peasants and all sections of the society to ensure that the token strike to protest against the "anti-people" policies of the BJP-led coalition government at the Centre, was peaceful.

UNI

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