Sonia first blow, Jaya promises third front

Even while lashing out at ‘‘Antonia Maino’s lack of political acumen and patriotism’’, Jayalalithaa sought to make out that she was equally disenchanted with the BJP’s ways and hence the need for a third alternative. She cited instances as the WTO and FDI in the print media wherein she had differed with the BJP.

Asked if she was projecting herself as the prime ministerial candidate and hoping for a national role for her party, she said: ‘‘These are issues that have to be disscussed with leaders of Opposition.’’

Asked about her sudden outburst against Sonia, she said there was no outburst on her part but only a studied response at a time when the next general elections were drawing near and the media was projecting Sonia Gandhi as the next prime minister.

‘‘She has no qualification except a marriage certificate. Apart from the fact that she is sadly lacking in political acumen and statemenship, she loves only Italy,’’Jayalalithaa charged.

Armed with the article written by Swadeshi Jargan Manch convener S. Gurumurthy against the Congress president, Jaya said Sonia who had lived in India for 15 years applied for Indian citizenship in 1982, only after a writ petition was filed in Delhi High Court seeking a direction for her eviction from the prime minister’s house.

Jayalalithaa requested the NDA Government to convene a joint session of Parliament and pass a bill to prevent a person of foreign origin from holding high Constitutional posts.

Reacting to Congress spokesperson Jaipal Reddy’s attack, Jayalalithaa said she regretted that a leader of such stature, who had dared Indira Gandhi during the Emergency and took on Rajiv Gandhi over Bofors, had become a mouth-piece of ‘‘Antonia Maino’’

Denmark firm TOPSO, in which Italian firm Snam Progetti had a 30 per cent interest, was given the Rs 8,500-crore Thal Vaishisht fertiliser project, ignoring lower bids, she said. ‘‘Fertilisers Minister P.C. Sethi, who blacklisted Snam Progetti, was asked to approve the contract,’’ she claimed.