Sonia as PM is not acceptable, says Jaya

When pointed out that Sonia Gandhi was now an Indian as she had been granted Indian citizenship, Jayalalitha said in no other country the people would even talk of making a naturalised citizen the prime minister of that country. "The AIADMK will fight tooth and nail and hammer and tongs against any attempt to makeher prime minister," she added.

"As long as Sonia Gandhi remains a private person we respect her as the widow of late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and daughter-in-law of Mrs Indira Gandhi," she said adding that once she enters the electoral arena and Congressmen speak of making her prime minister, the situation was different.

Jayalalitha, whose AIADMK has aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the coming Lok Sabha poll, said the nation needed a stable government and an able prime minister like A B Vajpayee.

She said the past 18 months of instability at the Centre and United Front members, who were interested more in sharing the spoils of power, had made India a "laughing stock" in the comity of nations.

To a question, Jayalalitha said Mathura and Kashi issues should be put on the backburner at least for the next 20 years. The burning problems like alleviation of poverty, removal of unemployment, provision of housing and drinking water should be addressed to by the new BJP government.

Askedabout Article 370 and introduction of Common Civil Code, Jayalalitha referred to BJP president L K Advani’s address at the recent AIADMK silver jubilee conference in Tirunelveli and said the privileges and special protection offered to the minorities under the Constitution would be continued by the new (BJP) government.

Referring to the death sentence awarded to all the 26 accused in the Rajiv case, Jaya said her party welcomed the judgment and added that those punished were only the tools of a bigger conspiracy to eliminate the former prime minister.

Gauthami meets Jaya

Film actress Gauthami, who recently announced her support for the BJP, called on AIADMK supremo J Jayalalitha at her Poes Garden residence in the city on Thursday.

According to a party press release, the brief visit of the actress to Jayalalitha’s residence was a courtesy call. A week ago, Gauthami joined the BJP in the presence of party leaders in New Delhi. The actress will be one of the `star’ campaigners for the BJP whichhas aligned with the AIADMK here.