Jaya wants more sops

Jayalalitha is also expected to insist that R K Kumar, the Minister of State for Finance who is from the AIADMK, be given independent charge of banking, revenue and insurance.

Perhaps in anticipation of her arrival, an internal order of work allocation was issued by the Finance Ministry today, giving Kumar quot;directchargequot; of the three departments.

However, this is not likely to appease her as it still means that Kumar8217;s decisions have to be cleared by Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha. It is pointed out that for proper work reallocation, an order has to be issued by the President8217;s Secretariat.

Jayalalitha is also reportedly keen that TN Governor Fatima Bibi be replaced by a nominee of her choice, a move calculated to send a signal to the DMK government. Sources also claimed that Jayalalitha would once again raise her demand for the dismissal of the TN government. It was speculated that she might come with documentary evidence to buttress her demand.

Besides political matters, sources said that during her meeting with the PM she would be presenting a representation on the Tamil Mercantile Bank, signed by all 27 MPs of the AIADMK Front. The bank, owned by the powerful Nadar community, is under litigation, and the Front is demanding that it be handed back. Finance Minister Sinha is also expected to be present at themeeting.

Jayalalitha is to leave for Chennai tomorrow evening. All AIADMK Front ministers have been instructed to remain present in Delhi while she is here.

Earlier in the day at Chennai, Jayalalitha said there had never been a place in the party to those who supported extremists or abetted violence either during MGR8217;s time or during her tenure.

Her assertion comes in the wake of Chief Minister M Karunanidhi8217;s remark in the state Assembly yesterday that he would have appreciated her had she expelled Fathima Bheevi, a women8217;s wing functionary, arrested in connection with harbouring extremists in the city recently.

In a statement, she asked whether the DMK president had ever expelled any of his partymen who indulged in violence or supported terrorists.

Listing instances, she said former minister Subbulakshmi Jagadeesan was arrested for harbouring terrorists involved in the EPRLF leader Padmanabha murder case. But Karunanidhi instead of expelling her from the party had given the party ticket to her tocontest the Palani Lok Sabha by-election. She had now become a legislator.

quot;It is the habit of Karunanidhi to reward those who had committed mistakes. Let Karunanidhi weed out anti-social elements from his party instead of giving advice,quot; she said.