ASSEMBLY POLL '98
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTIONS '98
ARCHIVES

Beaming Jaya awaits Cabinet expansion

All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham general secretary J Jayalalitha today said she had sent her proposals to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the proposed expansion of the Union Cabinet and spoke with warmth on the relationship between her party and the BJP, giving a new glow to the stability of the government at the Centre.

Addressing the media in Madras, she said Vajpayee spoke to her on January 7 on Cabinet expansion and she had subsequently forwarded her proposals to him.

However, Jayalalitha declined to divulge the nature of the proposals, saying it was a matter between her and the prime minister.

Ending months of speculation about the stability of the BJP-led government, the AIADMK chief said the government was doing a good job within the constraints under which it was working, although there was scope for further improvement.

She stoutly denied that there was any cold war between the AIADMK and the BJP. The talk of a thaw in the relationship between the two parties now was based on the assumption that it was not good in the past, she said.

The media, which did not want the two parties to be friendly, had created an impression that there was rift between the AIADMK and the BJP, she claimed.

Answering a question, Jayalalitha said she had not specified any time-frame for the review of her party's support to the Vajpayee government. It could be a month, a year or more, she said giving the impression that the issue was not under consideration now.

The former chief minister clarified that her party's action in joining hands with the Opposition and demanding an inquiry into the sacking of naval chief Admiral Vishnu Bhagawat was not intended to weaken the Centre. "It was only a constructive criticism of an ally."

Jayalalitha also steered clear of any controversy relating to the BJP and the AIADMK and refused to comment on Union Information Minister and BJP leader Pramod Mahajan's statement that she was like a cat on the wall .

The AIADMK leader denied that she had spoken ill of the prime minister at any time and asked reporters not to rake up old issues that would create ill-will between the two parties.

Asked whether she had insisted that the prime minister allocate the petroleum portfolio, now being held by Tamizhaga Rajiv Congress president Vazhapadi K Ramamurthy, to her party nominee, Jayalalitha merely said what happened between her and the prime minister was privileged and she would not disclose it.

When a reporter pointed out that Ramamurthy had offered to give up the portfolio if the prime minister wanted, in the interest of stability at the Centre, Jayalalitha quipped, "Let him do so."

On the allegation by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and Tamil Maanila Congress president G K Moopanar that the Centre was trying to bail her out from the corruption cases filed against her by the state government in special courts in Madras, Jayalalitha said they did not deserve a reply and she would like to "dismiss their statements with contempt".

She said the Centre had at no time tried to protect her from the cases foisted on her and was confident that ultimately her stand would be vindicated.

The Centre's stand on the corruption cases was clear from the affidavit filed by the attorney general before the Supreme Court yesterday, she said when asked about the objection by a large number of lawyers representing the bar council to attorney general Soli Sorabjee filing the affidavit in the case.

Answering another question, Jayalalitha said Sorabjee had represented her in some case in the Madras high court. That did not preclude him from filing the affidavit in the Supreme Court. He was not representing her, but the Union government, she clarified.

On the attacks on minorities in Gujarat, Jayalalitha said her party had no plan at the moment to send a team to Gujarat to study the situation there. If necessary, she would consider it later.

Her party had condemned attacks on minorities wherever they had occurred. The Centre should take every step to protect the minorities in Gujarat, she added.

Jayalalitha also condemned the destruction of the Kotla cricket ground in Delhi by Shiv Sainiks and said the government should take all steps to prevent such incidents.

Answering another question, the AIADMK chief said she had always been positive although the media projected her in negative light.

She said minister of state for external affairs Vasundhara Raje was passing through Madras and sought an appointment. They had met last night at her house. She, however, declined to reveal what transpired at the meeting.

Jayalalitha affirmed that her party was committed to a secular India and conceded that there had been conflicts within the Sangh Parivar on some issues.

On her party's relationship with the erstwhile constituents of the AIADMK-led front in the state, she said she had stated already that the front did not exist now. Pattali Makkal Katchi founder Dr S Ramadoss had said his party would strive to be friendly with the AIADMK and she had welcomed this stand, she said when asked whether her party had a special relationship with the PMK.

Jayalalitha later reviewed the functioning of the party with the office-bearers.

UNI

Tell us what you think of this report