CHENNAI: General secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Jayalalithaa on Friday asserted that her party had not suffered a debacle in the May 8 Assembly elections. A coalition would not do good for the State, she said claiming that the "minority" Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Government would not last even one year.

Shortly after presiding over a meeting of the newly-elected AIADMK MLAs, she told reporters that former Public Works Minister O. Paneerselvam was elected as leader of the Legislature party, K.A.Sengottaiyan as deputy leader, former Law Minister D.Jayakumar as whip, former Minister for Adi Dravidar Welfare S.Karuppasamy as treasurer and former Education Minister C.Ve.Shanmugam as secretary.

Dropping a hint that she was unlikely to participate in the Assembly debates, she said the party men had advised her against attending the Assembly recalling the incidents in the House on March 25, 1989 during the then DMK rule and pointing out that those who attacked and humiliated her were all going to become Ministers in the new Government. She would respect the views of the party activists. However, she would continue to guide and advise the legislature party, she added.

Asked if she would attend the Assembly to liven up the debate on important issues, she said she would not rule out the possibility. She would attend the House if necessary. To another query, Ms.Jayalalithaa said that she had decided to keep away from the Assembly for good reasons but DMK president M.Karunanidhi had no reason to stay away. He was neither harmed nor attacked but she had been at the receiving end during the DMK rule, she said.

On the AIADMK's future as the main Opposition, she said it would be a strong opposition, as it had bagged 61 seats besides increasing its vote share without a strong alliance. Ms.Jayalaithaa said the results did not mean end of single party rule in the State. The future belonged to the AIADMK and the DMK did not have any future. The AIADMK would not be wished away. Mr.Karunanidhi was susceptible to pulls and pressures, she claimed. The new DMK Government would ruin the State's economy just as the previous DMK Government had done in 1996. The new situation was akin to handing over a garland to a monkey, she said. On the conciliatory note struck by Mr.Karunanidhi, she said, "He has never meant what he says. Let us see what he does."

Later addressing party workers and supporters at the AIADMK headquarters she said it was a "sad day" and setback for the State. The party would certainly return to power as it did in 2001, she added.

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