Jaya to keep away during BJP leaders8217; visit again

CHENNAI, JAN 1: The AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister J Jayalalitha will not be in Chennai tomorrow and the day after when Prime Mi...

CHENNAI, JAN 1: The AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister J Jayalalitha will not be in Chennai tomorrow and the day after when Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee will be in the city, as per her present programme. She is away in Hyderabad and is slated to return to Chennai only on Jan 58211;two days after the Prime Minister leaves the city.

That will make it two in a row8211;the last two visits by the Prime Minister to Chennai have been noted more for Jayalalitha8217;s absence. On September 15, Jayalalitha was in Tiruchy attending a party meeting, while Vajpayee and virtually all the leaders of the BJP-led coalition were in Chennai to participate in the rally and public meeting organised by MDMK general secretary Vaiko.

In fact, the last visit of senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister L K Advani to Chennai, to participate in the wedding of MDMK leader Vaiko8217;s son, was also marked by Jayalalitha8217;s absence. Jayalalitha did not attend the wedding and had left a few days earlier for Hyderabad.

A few days ago,Jayalalitha hotly contested a reporter8217;s interpretation that her visit to Hyderabad was a kind of protest against Vajpayee. She maintained that she was not aware of the Prime Minister8217;s visit to Chennai. However, though the State Government has made public the Prime Minister8217;s programme in Chennai on Jan 2 and 3, there is no news yet of a change in Jayalalitha8217;s programme. She continues to be in Hyderabad and is likely to depute some leaders of the party to receive Vajpayee at the airport tomorrow.

Though Jayalalitha8217;s visits to Hyderabad might have been planned in advance, her absence has nonetheless led to speculation that the relationship between the BJP and the AIADMK continues to be strained. Her party takes the stand that her visits were worked out in advance, that her absence was not deliberate or to mark any protest, and that she was merely maintaining her commitment. However, the fact is that room has been given for speculation since Jayalalitha, despite being a major constituent of the BJP-ledcoalition, has kept away from the city during visits of the coalition8217;s two top leaders.

Jayalalitha has already expressed her unhappiness over the Prime Minister not consulting her about inducting Ministers.