Chennai : AIADMK general secretary and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa Friday declared that the party will be in a position to decide the next prime ministerial candidate and called her party cadres to start working for the parliament elections.
She also warned them of severe action if “they are in touch with traitors”.
Speaking at the party’s general council meeting on the outskirts of the city, Jayalalithaa said: “Days are not far off when AIADMK would go beyond Tamil Nadu and achieve great things at the national political arena.”
She said it was the party’s golden period in 1998 when it extended support to the BJP enabling Atal Bihari Vajpayee to become the prime minister.
The BJP was able to capture power at the centre for the first time, she said.
Jayalalithaa declared the time is again ripening for the party to decide the prime ministerial candidate and “we will be there in the next government at the centre”.
She said at that point the party will be in a position to facilitate decisions that would not impinge on the rights of Tamil Nadu and the national unity, and urged the party cadres and leaders not to be complacent after the victories in the assembly and local body elections.
In an oblique reference to V.K. Sasikala and her relatives and associates who were recently dismissed from the party’s primary membership, Jayalalithaa said there are politicians who after being chucked out of the party threaten other members to behave as if they would be back again in the party.
Jayalalithaa declared that such people will never be pardoned and those party men who believe such people will also be not pardoned.
AIADMK’s general council and executive committee met for the first time Friday after the party stormed Fort St.George, the seat of power in Tamil Nadu, in May this year under Jayalalithaa’s leadership.
The meeting also comes close on the heels of Jayalalithaa summarily dismissing her long-time confidante Sasikala and her family members from the primary membership of the party Dec 19 without assigning any reason.
IANS
Jayalalitha is rigth, if she moves her cards properly. There is anti-UPA mood in the country, it is tough to win an election for 3rd time in a row in National level. Chances are brigth for BJP led NDA. But NDA needs to sort out these issues 1) They need to settle on PM candidate. It will bring infighting between Arun Jaitley, Sushma, Modi and Adavani 2) NDA strategy is flawed. Congress managed to fizzle out Team Anna etc… 3) BJP is likely to lose in Hindi belt. For Jayalalithaa, she has certain advantages. Her advantages are 1) DMK and Congress is mired with corruption issues 2) Anti-Centre feelings in Tamil Nadu. She has to sort out many issues in her front 1) She won based on anti-DMK wave. She has not shown good governance so far. It will be difficult to maintain anti-wave until LS elections. Her Ministry lacks experience in governance. Her senior Ministers are total non-performers 2) Her asset case has entered crucial stage and if there is a verdict, it is likely to damage AIADMK prospects. THere is no other leader worth projecting in her party
Let us see how 2012 unfolds…