AIADMK to skip BJP meet

CHENNAI, MARCH 19: The AIADMK, a principal ally of the BJP, will abstain from the party's State conference beginning at Tiruchirappalli t...

CHENNAI, MARCH 19: The AIADMK, a principal ally of the BJP, will abstain from the party8217;s State conference beginning at Tiruchirappalli tomorrow, somewhat dampening the coalition leader8217;s hopes of presenting a picture of unity after completing one year in office.

AIADMK supremo J Jayalalitha today ended speculation about whether she would depute a representative at the last minute to attend Sunday8217;s public meeting, which is part of the conference. Asked by reporters at a private function whether she was deputing someone to the meet, she shook her head.Apart from national leaders, the BJP8217;s other State-level allies, the MDMK, Pattali Makkal Katchi PMK and Tamizhaga Rajiv Congress, will participate in the meeting, which will be addressed by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. These parties are keen to underscore their proximity to the BJP after being cold-shouldered by Jayalalitha in the recent past.

According to AIADMK sources, the manner in which Jayalalitha was invited is one of the reasons for hernon-participation. Moreover, she cannot be seen in the company of her estranged allies, MDMK and TRC, who have been involved in a war of words with the AIADMK ever since she disbanded8217; the alliance headed by her.

Jayalalitha, who has gone on record saying that she will do nothing to pull down the coalition Government, has been flaying the Centre on several issues. The most recent instance has been her attack on Union Home Minister L K Advani for his handling of the detention of an accused in the Coimbatore bomb blasts under NSA, which has resulted in its revocation.

Jayalalitha, who is yet to live down the BJP8217;s refusal to attend to her long-pending demand for sacking the DMK regime in Tamil Nadu, has cited other preoccupations as reason for her absence.

However, it is apparent that she is cut up over the invitation coming from the state unit rather than through the national leaders, and that too, through a fax message and later, a messenger.

BJP vice-president K Jana Krishnamurthy, when askedrecently about the status of its relationship with its principal ally, said it had been 8220;reasonably good8221; in the last few months.

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The party hopes to use its fourth State conference, lasting two days, and the Prime Minister8217;s presence to highlight its 8220;achievements8221; in the past one year of governance, but the absence of its principal ally while other friends are present may cast a shadow on the occasion.