The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Narendra Modi to meet Jayalalithaa

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 31, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Narendra Modi to meet Jayalalithaa

Special Correspondent

“Gujarat verdict proves integrity, good governance and hard work are appreciated by people”

GREETING THE LEADER: AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa being received by party cadres at the AIADMK headquarters in Chennai on Sunday.

CHENNAI: Accepting the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary Jayalalithaa’s invitation, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi will call on her at her Poes Gardens residence on January 14.

Disclosing this, Ms Jayalalithaa told reporters at the party headquarters that she greeted him on his re-election as the Chief Minister. The latter informed her that he would come to Chennai on January 14.

Commenting on the Gujarat verdict, the AIADMK leader said it proved that integrity, good governance and hard work were always appreciated by people. For the Congress, it was time for introspection.

Describing Mr Modi as a “friend,” Ms Jayalalithaa said “it is natural to call up a friend and congratulate him when he achieves victory.” She added that she had attended the swearing-in ceremony of Mr Modi earlier.

To a question whether she was inching closer to the BJP, she replied that “it is up to you to speculate in any way.”

Asked whether it could be surmised that she kept her options open for an electoral alliance, her response: “I think that is the obvious inference, definitely.”

On the Congress and Left parties describing the BJP’s performance in Gujarat as a victory for the communal forces, Ms Jayalithaa said it was not appropriate to trivialise the people’s verdict. The elections were held in a democratic and fair manner.

Regarding questions on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the AIADMK leader said the LTTE was getting “steadily weakened” in Sri Lanka and was looking at Tamil Nadu as its “base for their activities.” Accusing the administration in the State of being weak, she said “law and order is abysmal.” She was the only “popular and strong political leader” in the State who “firmly opposes” the LTTE.

“Every other political party of any consequence is prepared to welcome the LTTE with open arms into Tamil Nadu. This presents a very alarming picture for the future,” she said, adding that “given the support of the Central Government to Tamil Nadu Government, only God can save Tamil Nadu.”

Ms Jayalalithaa also expressed concern over the increasing activities of Maoists in the State.

On the distribution of colour television sets free to people, she demanded that the scheme be suspended and the money allotted for the purpose be used for carrying out flood relief works immediately, when the State was battered by torrential rain.

Threat to India

Terming the assassination of Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto as very tragic, she said it raised the question whether it was possible for democracy to survive in the neighbouring nation. It also put India in peril because “terrorism is just across the border.”

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