Jaya wants to be PM maker

AIADMK supremo and Chief Minister J Jayalalitha made a politically stormy speech on Friday declaring that the AIADMK was emerging to play a big role in “deciding” India’s next prime minister.

At a significant meeting of the party’s general council, the first since AIADMK had stormed back to power in May and ten days after Amma purged the party of her long-time confidante V K Sasikala and close members of her family, Jayalalitha got the party’s full backing for all her recent actions.

Despite the cyclonic storm, thousands thronged the general council and executive committee meeting venue on the outskirts of Chennai on Friday evening. The conclave could not be postponed as it had been planned weeks in advance to fulfill a statutory Election Commission requirement.

Urging partymen not to turn complacent after the party’s stellar victory in both the Assembly elections and later in the local bodies polls, Jayalalitha said the latter had again demonstrated that AIADMK can win elections without anyone’s assistance or crutch. Now, the time has come for cadres to “get ready” for the party’s next big win at the national level, she said.

Jayalalitha exuded confidence that the AIADMK “will be part of the next government at the Centre.” Even way back in 1998, the party had played a big role in making A B Vajpayee the prime minister (of the first NDA Government), she said and extolled party cadres to work harder to seize such an unfolding opportunity yet again in the national political scene.
In such a scenario, the AIADMK could emerge as a bigger force to “determine the next prime minister” in Delhi, asserted Jayalalitha.

Jayalalitha also indicated that a bigger role for the AIADMK at the Centre would be a sin-qua-non for protecting the state’s interests.

She also asked her partymen not to have any truck with expelled leaders like Sasikala and her family members.