The Hindu : All DMK MLAs, MPs were invited: Jayalalithaa

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 05, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

All DMK MLAs, MPs were invited: Jayalalithaa

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI MARCH 4. The Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, today clarified that the State Government had sent out invitation to all MLAs and MPs of Tamil Nadu for her swearing-in ceremony on March 2.

Disputing the statement by the DMK president, M. Karunanidhi, she said the Government could not be held responsible if the DMK MLAs and MPs stayed away from the ceremony despite their receiving the invitation.

``At a time when all political commentators, dailies and periodicals have been expressing their happiness over the fact that DMK leader, K. Anbazhagan, and the Chennai Mayor, M.K. Stalin, had accepted the invitation, setting a good precedent in Tamil Nadu politics, Mr. Karunanidhi has once again proved, by his uncivil comments made on the swearing-in ceremony, that he is still following his old brand of politics giving predominance to jealousy and envy,'' Ms. Jayalalithaa said in a statement.

Mr. Karunanidhi had effectively nipped in the bud the attempts by Mr. Anbazhagan and Mr. Stalin to set a new healthy trend in Tamil Nadu politics.

Referring to the DMK chief's claim that the AIADMK Government had not allowed him to stay at the Kodaganar government guest house in Dindigul district during his Andipatti election tour, she said she did not know anything about the incident, and that she was not the Chief Minister at that time.

But, she pointed out, Mr. Karunanidhi, when he was Chief Minister, had not allowed her to stay in any of the government guest houses in the State. She made her own arrangements for her stay whenever she went on tour.Ms. Jaylalithaa claimed that Tamil Nadu slipped in industrial development after Mr. Karunanidhi came to power. But during her tenure in 1991-96, the State occupied the third position at the all-India level.

The Chief Minister promised to unveil a new industrial policy ``which will reveal our concrete plans for the industrial progress of Tamil Nadu.''

Ms. Jayalalithaa concluded her statement saying she did not want to waste time issuing rejoinders to Mr. Karunanidhi as her entire attention was directed to making Tamil Nadu numero uno in India in all spheres. Mr. Karunanidhi's ``game plan'' was to make her devote all her time to issuing rejoinders and leave her with no time to attend to constructive, useful work. Henceforth, only her Cabinet colleagues or AIADMK functionaries would issue rejoinders on her behalf.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

Stories in this Section

Cong. keen on cordial ties with AIADMK

Ticket examiners won't go to Ayodhya

HC ruling keeps private students away

Muslim women want `triple talaq' to go

All DMK MLAs, MPs were invited: Jayalalithaa

TTDC chief told to step down

IT drive in south

Plea against Dinakaran election dismissed

It's now a Fort of time-consciousness

'Corruption stands in the way of India reaching top slot'

SHRC asks Collectors for data on funds to NGOs