The Hindu : Never backed Sonia, says Jayalalithaa

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Sep 01, 2002

Front Page

Front Page

Never backed Sonia, says Jayalalithaa

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI AUG. 31. The AIADMK general secretary and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, today refuted the Congress claim that her letter of support for "the Congress led by Sonia Gandhi" in 1999 was proof of her having backed Ms.Gandhi as the Prime Ministerial candidate.

A day after the Congress released copies of the controversial letter, Ms. Jayalalithaa, in a statement here, said that she had never backed Ms. Gandhi for prime ministership and that the Congress statement was "malicious and misleading".

In a specific explanation of her letter to the President in 1999 after the fall of the Vajpayee Government, Ms.Jayalalithaa said: "I have not said that the AIADMK would extend support to a government to be formed by Sonia Gandhi. I have only said that the AIADMK would extend support to a government to be formed by the Congress which is led by Sonia Gandhi."

Ms. Jayalalithaa, who recently raked up the foreign origin issue of Ms. Gandhi, reiterated that ``the great nation deserves better than the likes of Ms.Gandhi to lead it".

Ms.Jayalalithaa also accused Ms. Gandhi of having refused to accept the CPI(M) leader, Jyoti Basu, as the Prime Ministerial candidate in 1999, as "she could not digest the fact that an Indian could become the Prime Minister, when she thought she was ahead in the race and imagined that her foreign origin and connections made her a superior candidate."

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page

Stories in this Section

Govt. announces bailout package for UTI

ICC gives Indian players more time

'Autonomy' dialogue on hold; Kashmir panel meets Sonia

More protection for 'proxy' candidates

'Limited operation' by STF

Never backed Sonia, says Jayalalithaa

Petrol, diesel prices hiked

35 killed as boat capsizes

Team for Orissa

Sharif gesture