Jayalalithaa meets PM, won't call on Sonia

New Delhi: Everybody loves a winner, nowhere more so than in politics. On her first visit to Delhi after sweeping the Tamil Nadu elections, Jayalalithaa received the political equivalent of a standing, with Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, the BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad and D Raja of the Left all visiting her at Tamil Nadu Bhawan in the Capital.

When she left Tamil Nadu House to meet the Prime Minister, it was directly in an SPG car. Apart from those given SPG protection, even Cabinet ministers change cars at the gates of the PM's 7 RCR residence.

After that meeting with the Prime Minister, Jayalalithaa arrived straight for a press conference, glowing in maroon, smile firmly in place. The PM, she said had held out a lot of hope for Central assistance for Tamil Nadu. The good humour was evident when she quipped - "About the DMK being worried, I'll have to take your word for it." A reporter had asked about the DMK worriedly watching for warm vibes between her and its partner, the Congress. The Tamil Nadu CM said though that talk about a political realignment was premature.

Later she pointed out that the Congress had made clear that it was still in partnership with the DMK at the Centre, so a question of aligning with her did not arise. "If anyone wants my support they have to ask for it," she said. The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister met only the Prime Minister and not UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. She noted that it was not "appropriate" for her to call on Sonia Gandhi as the Congress and DMK continued to be allies.

She did say though that her government was committed to fostering friendly relations with the Centre in interest of her state's development. Her views on the Centre's home minister were less than friendly though. She attacked P Chidambaram saying, "My party stand is that the position of the home minister is untenable, he must quit. He won the election through fraudulent ways, my candidate will continue to fight."

Jayalalithaa claimed that her party had given evidence to the High Court that a "fraud was committed by data operator...all votes polled by my candidate were credited to Chidambaram and vice versa (In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections)...Chidambaram was never elected in the first place."

She also answered questions on a slew of diverse topics swiftly. Some Jayalalithaa answers: She was studying the draft Lok Pal Bill she said and had sought time to formulate her views; Anna Hazare, as indeed, any Indian had the democratic right to protest against corruption; The 2G scam was now being monitored by the Supreme Court and she had full faith in the judiciary; Dayanidhi Maran, accused in a telecom scam, should be dropped from the council of ministers.

She also talked at length on development issues in Tamil Nadu. With Dr Manmohan Singh, she said, she discussed Sri Lankan Tamils, issues facing Tamil Nadu fishermen with regard to ill-treatment at the hands of the Sri Lankan Navy and a power crisis in her state.

The Congress has stressed that its alliance with the DMK in Tamil Nadu remains intact. However, there's much speculation about whether the Congress is looking to replace the DMK with Jayalalithaa. In an editorial in his party's mouthpiece last night, Mr Karunanidhi who heads the DMK blamed the media for trying to end his seven-year alliance with the Congress. "None of the party workers is agitated. Only some media are agitated and wailing and writing reports since their intention (of breaking the alliance) did not materialize. And reporters ask such questions at the behest of their management...Hail Manu dharma, hail media dharma," he wrote.

Jayalalithaa's AIADMK swept the recent elections in Tamil Nadu, virtually obliterating Mr Karunanidhi's party for now from the political landscape in their home state. In a recent article, the Congress magazine, Sandesh, blamed the DMK's poor performance on the 2G telecom scam, which has sent two senior DMK leaders to jail, including Mr Karunanidhi's daughter, Kanimozhi.

Slamming the DMK at her press conference she said more leaders of that party were likely to go jail. She flayed DMK policies and rule in Tamil Nadu over the last five years, but pointed out that her AIADMK had nothing do to with the DMK's woes. "AIADMK is not vindictive...the DMK is paying the price for its mistakes," she said.

Highlights of Jayalalithaa's press conference:

Faith of people restored by Supreme Court action in 2G

DMK supremo's family facing a slew of corruption cases, many more likely to go to jail. Not a single case initiated by me or my party, so no question of being vindictive. They are paying a price.

DMK made Tamil Nadu a garbage dump. Main reasons are all pervasive corruption, nepotism, domination of one family, everything was monopolized, no freedom of expression, ideas.

PM should drop Dayanidhi Maran from Cabinet

Chidambaram won poll by fraudulent means, must quit (Read: Chidambaram never won election, must quit, says Jayalalithaa)

Number of Sri Lankan Tamils by Sri Lankan govt is 10,000 but private agencies have higher numbers. Have requested PM to verify the numbers...want to bring back these Tamilians back from camps.