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Jaya meets Sonia, sort out differences

George Iype in New Delhi

As Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee begun his trial of strength in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary J Jayalalitha officially met for the first time to give shape to an alternative coalition at the Centre.

One day after she pulled out of the Vajpayee coalition, Jayalalitha drove to Gandhi's home at 10, Janapath. Closeted for nearly 90 minutes, the two most powerful women leaders in the country "made up their differences personally as well as politically," Congress sources said.

Sonia had agreed to talk with Jayalalitha only after the latter fulfilled one condition: withdraw support to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition. Having achieved the feat, Jayalalitha and Sonia sat together to plan the contours of a new coalition if Vajpayee is voted out of power on Saturday.

Congress officials said Sonia and Jayalalitha discussed "threadbare the political uncertainty." "They were unanimous that they would work together to unite all the Opposition parties and achieve the numbers to vote out the Vajpayee government," a Congress leader told Rediff On The NeT.

But he stated that though they "touched upon the sensitive subject of government formation," it was decided that "the loose-ends would be put together" only if and when the Vajpayee coalition is defeated in the Lower House.

"Both Sonia and Jayalalitha are taking extreme precaution to ensure that they are not scheming together to topple the BJP government," the Congress leader added.

According to sources, Jayalalitha informed Sonia in detail the circumstances that compelled the AIADMK chief to snap ties with the BJP. She said by withdrawing support to the Vajpayee government, she had uttermost in mind "the interests of the nation and particularly Tamil Nadu."

But the AIADMK supremo is said to have not insisted on any set of demands before a new coalition government. However, Jayalalitha informed Sonia that the AIADMK's singular most demand all these years has been the dismissal of the M Karunanidhi government in Tamil Nadu.

They also discussed how a viable alternative to succeed the Vajpayee government can be formed between the Congress, AIADMK, Left and the Rashtriya Loktantrik Morcha.

Sonia is reported to have suggested to Jayalalitha that the Congress at this juncture is not prepared to lead a government. But at the same time, she said that if all the supporting parties "forget their differences" and come together under the Congress banner, she could think about a coalition. However, the Congress president added any decision on this front will be taken by the apex Congress Working Committee after the Vajpayee government falls.

The AIADMK chief -- though eager to join any form of coalition -- appears to be caught in a Catch-22 situation. The Left parties have insisted that they would prefer an alternative coalition to be led by the Congress and all other partners including the AIADMK should offer outside support.

But Jayalalitha with her long list of crucial demands wants to actively participate in the government even if it is led by the Congress or the Third Front.

Sonia and Jayalalitha also talked about the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam which allegedly killed Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 and the Karunanidhi government's failure to check the LTTE's activities in Tamil Nadu.

Many Congress and AIADMK leaders feel if there is one subject common to Jayalaliltha and Sonia, it is their antipathy towards the LTTE.

Jayalalitha is said to be in a fix anticipating the political crisis awaiting the AIADMK if the Vajpayee government wins the confidence vote. "She will be an untouchable among the political parties if Vajpayee wins the trust vote," a political advisor who fell out with Jayalalitha commented.

As Sonia and Jayalalitha put together their plans, what has begun worrying them are the tough conditions from Left and Rashtriya Lok Manch leaders.

The RLM's Laloo Prasad Yadav and Mulayam Singh Yadav and Left leaders have demanded that any new coalition headed by the Congress should be based on the common minimum programme, similar to the one that existed during the United Front government's reign two years back.

But the Congress is unwilling to lead or take part in a coalition with a common agenda as it feels that differences between the Left and the party on crucial economic policies can never be resolved.

While the RLM leaders do not want the women's bill to be introduced and passed in Parliament, the Left parties will demand that the Congress spike the insurance bill.

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