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Jaya: no threat to BJP govt

CHENNAI, Sept 8 (PTI) — The AIADMK general secretary, Ms Jayalalitha today asserted that there was no threat to the Vajpayee government "at present" although the "review" of her party's support to the ruling coalition was still on.

"There is no crisis or threat to the government at present. We are continuing to extend support. We are part of the government," she told reporters here after admitting some rival partymen into the AIADMK fold.

She denied that the party was boycotting the Prime Minister's visit to Chennai on September 15 by organising her own function on the same day at Tiruchirappalli to mark late DMK founder C.N. Annadurai's birth anniversary.

Mr Vajpayee will visit Chennai on September 15 to attend a rally organised by the AIADMK ally MDMK also to celebrate Annadurai's birth anniversary.

"We are not boycotting the Prime Minister, senior leaders of the AIADMK will welcome him when he arrives," she said.

The AIADMK had been celebrating Anna's birth anniversary for years. As the "biggest and strongest Dravidian party", the AIADMK had a right as well as a duty to celebrate the occasion, she said.

Ms Jayalalitha reiterated that she had never threatened to withdraw her support to the Vajpayee government and blamed the media for creating such an impression.

On August 27 she had told reporters that she had earlier talked about 'reviewing' support and affirmed that the question of support was 'still under review'.

Asked what she meant by 'reviewing' support, she shot back 'look it up in the dictionary'.

She deplored media description of her party's approach to the Centre as 'blackmailing tactics'. "When you blackmail somebody, it is for gaining something. What have we gained from the government? she asked.

To a question whether the central government would last five years, she said: "I am not an astrologer, but as far as we are concerned, our support is continuing.

Referring to the MDMK and the AIADMK holding separate rallies on the same day, she said: "The MDMK is not our rival, only the DMK is."

Stating that the MDMK was only five years old, while the AIADMK was a 'strong 26-year-old soldier', Ms Jayalalitha said, she had never agreed to participate in the MDMK rally. Even when MDMK general secretary had invited her, she had made it clear to him that she might not be able to attend it.

NEW DELHI: The BJP on Tuesday said the AIADMK general secretary, Ms Jayalalitha's statement that there was no threat to the Vajpayee government "at present" although the review of her party's support to the ruling coalition was still on had "cleared all doubts" and asserted that the present government would serve its full term.

Party spokesman Krishan Lal Sharma told newsmen that Ms Jayalalitha's remarks that "there is no crisis or threat to the government at present. We are continuing to extend support. We are part of the government" had made it clear that the BJP-led government would last its full term.

He said the party welcomed her remarks that the AIADMK was "not boycotting the Prime Minister. Senior leaders of the AIADMK will welcome him when he arrives."