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Jaya says withdrawal of support is inevitable

All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary J Jayalalitha today said withdrawal of support by her party to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre is "inevitable".

She was speaking to reporters at Madras airport before leaving for Delhi to hold talks with leaders of various opposition parties for the formation of an alternative government.

Replying to a question, she said there was no room for a rapprochement with the BJP after Prime Minister A B Vajpayee and Union Home Minister L K Advani sought the support of the AIADMK's arch rival, the DMK, to bail out the government.

Replying to a question, Jayalalitha said she would not rule herself out as a prime ministerial candidate. "Who will emerge as the next prime minister will be known only after the discussions with leaders of other parties," she added.

She said she had no plan to meet Vajpayee in Delhi. There is no appointment with Congress president Sonia Gandhi either, but it will be fixed once she reaches Delhi, the former chief minister of Tamil Nadu said.

Jayalalitha said the modalities for formation of an alternative government and moving a no-confidence motion against the Vajpayee government would be decided after discussions with leaders of the Congress and other opposition parties.

Asked about Vajpayee and Advani calling up Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, who is also the DMK president, seeking his support to tide over the present crisis at the Centre, Jayalalitha said: "They have shut all doors for a rapprochement."

The 18 AIADMK MPs have already left the city in batches and reached Delhi in time for the Parliament session, which resumes on April 15.

UNI

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