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Congress rejects Jaya's proposal

The Congress on Tuesday virtually rejected All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary J Jayalalitha's proposal for a power-sharing arrangement with the Pattali Makkal Katchi in Pondicherry, asserting that its supremacy in the Union territory should be maintained.

The Congress also said that it and the Tamil Maanila Congress were united in their stand on the alliance in both Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry.

Reacting to Jayalalitha's offer, Congress general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad told reporters that the "new proposal" by the AIADMK chief left the basic issue of the PMK's inclusion in the alliance unresolved.

Earlier, Jayalalitha had announced in Madras that the AIADMK was ready to relinquish its turn for the chief ministership in Pondicherry to the Congress and raise the number of seats allotted to the Congress-TMC combine in Tamil Nadu to 45.

"PMK cannot be part of the Congress government in Pondicherry. AIADMK can be part of the Congress government," Azad said, adding that the Congress was the single largest party in the Union territory with nine members in a house of 30.

Asserting that seats could be negotiated, but not "our supremacy", Azad said, "The ball is in Jayalalitha's court. It is for her to resolve. It is for her to decide whether she wants original and time-tested allies or new allies."

On the Congress and the TMC deciding to stick together on their electoral strategy in the two states, he said both parties were united and there was no change in their stand.

Asked for his reaction to Jayalalitha's proposal, Azad said it was for the TMC to comment as it had been offered 45 seats in Tamil Nadu.

He parried a query whether the new offer was a climb-down by Jayalalitha.

Azad said Jayalalitha's idea of delinking Pondicherry and Tamil Nadu was a "totally new proposal" to which the Congress had not applied its mind.

Asked whether he was still hopeful of a resolution of the matter in both states, he said it was "very difficult" to say.

Asked if the Congress was toying with the idea of forming a third front, he said that stage had not yet come. Though there was pressure from several quarters, a final decision was yet to be taken.

He said the Congress was in continuous touch with TMC chief G K Moopanar, but has not talked to Jayalalitha after the discussions he and Pranab Mukherjee had with her last month.

PTI

EARLIER REPORTS:
DMK woos Dalits to counter AIADMK
Piqued TMC may settle for third front
Jaya offers TMC-Congress 45 seats in TN, and Pondy as well

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