Jayalalitha written all over

NEW DELHI, MARCH 18: AIADMK leader J Jayalalitha’s influence on the BJP-led alliance’s National Agenda was evident. The agenda is in English, not Hindi; Tamil folk music was played at the releasing ceremony. And the AIADMK leader got pride of place: to the left of Prime Minister-designate Atal Behari Vajpayee. Interestingly, the agenda, while addressing some of her "special package" demands for the state has diluted the bit on corruption. The portion that’s intact is the one dealing with the enactment of the Lok Pal Bill "with adequate powers to deal with corruption charges against anyone, including the Prime Minister." But the sentence which has been deleted is: "In respect of all pending cases of corruption, we will allow the law to take its own course." The agenda also deftly skirts the issue of cow slaughter. While it doesn’t call for a commitment to a ban it has included the following sentence: "Special efforts will be made in animal husbandry, particularly in respect of cow and its progeny."