BJP rejects Jaya8217;s demands

NEW DELHI, MARCH 30: Rattled by what it called AIADMK chief J Jayalalitha's outrageous demands, the BJP on Tuesday put up a brave face an...

NEW DELHI, MARCH 30: Rattled by what it called AIADMK chief J Jayalalitha8217;s outrageous demands, the BJP on Tuesday put up a brave face and played on the election-phobia of Lok Sabha MPs. 8220;It has to be either the Vajpayee Government or elections,8221; said party general secretary Venkaiah Naidu.

After Defence Minister George Fernandes apparently failed to get Jayalalitha to agree with him on the Bhagwat issue, the BJP8217;s war council 8212; comprising A B Vajpayee, L K Advani, Kushabhau Thakre and Naidu 8212; was summoned at the Prime Minister8217;s residence last night.

Following this, the Government today threw the gauntlet at Jayalalitha by dismissing both her demands. 8220;The question of reinstating Bhagwat does not arise,8221; Naidu asserted. Vajpayee too rejected the demand to move Fernandes out of the Defence Ministry. 8220;George is a truly nationalist leader, how can he be a threat to national security?8221; Naidu asked.

BJP leaders also tried to make light of Jayalalitha8217;s reference to the 8220;political earthquake8221; emanating from Swamy8217;s tea party. 8220;The Government is firm and stable. There is no earthquake,8221; Naidu said.

But the AIADMK chief who left for Chennai this evening told reporters that there was no change in her stand that Fernandes should be moved out. 8220;But it is the Prime Minister8217;s prerogative whether to shift him or not,8221; she said, when asked about Vajpayee8217;s rejection of her demand.

Asked whether the process of new political realignments had started after Monday8217;s political earthquake8217;, she remarked: 8220;Perhaps 8230;8221;

Sources in the AIADMK were sceptical about Jayalalitha taking the initiative to bring down the government. They were of the view that her aggressive posturing was more of a bargaining ploy. And if she and the Congress were speaking the same language on the Bhagwat issue, it was to prevent the latter from cosying up to the DMK in Tamil Nadu as recent reports suggest.

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That would foreclose her option of a possible tie-up with the Congress when elections are held.

BJP leaders feel that Jayalalitha might have made up her mind to part ways from the Vajpayee-led coalition but did not have many options. 8220;When the Rashtriya Loktantrik Morcha and Left leaders can8217;t attend Swamy8217;s tea party only because of their differences with Jayalalitha, how can they form an alternative Government with her support,8221; said a senior party leader adding in such eventuality mid-term elections would be the only option.

The Opposition on the other hand, is pinning its hopes on fragile unity in some of the BJP allies like Biju Janata Dal, Akali Dal and Samata Party which may split after the fall of Vajpayee Government.