Date:28/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/28/stories/2008122855240600.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

JD(S), AIADMK, Left parties to hold meeting in New Delhi

Special Correspondent

Telugu Desam, TRS will participate: Deve Gowda
No differences with Karat: Jayalalithaa

CHENNAI: A meeting of leaders of political parties, including the Left, Janata Dal (Secular) and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, is likely to take place in New Delhi next month, H.D. Deve Gowda, JD (S) president and former Prime Minister, said on Saturday.

Emerging from a 90-minute-long meeting with AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa at her Poes Gardens residence, Mr. Gowda said the Telugu Desam and the Telangana Rashtra Samiti would also participate in the meeting. He recalled that prior to the confidence vote in Parliament, a meeting of 11 parties was held at the residence of the Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati. The discussion among the parties could not continue in view of Assembly elections in various northern States.

Asked whether any schedule for the proposed meeting had been fixed, Ms. Jayalalithaa replied in the negative and added that she would be able to participate in the meeting only after the by-election to the Thirumangalam Assembly constituency [slated for January 9].

As for Saturday’s meeting, she said: “We had a wide ranging discussion on the political situation in the country today and of course, about the forthcoming elections to Parliament.”