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Vajpayee spurns Jaya, refuses to shift George

George Iype in New Delhi

All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham General Secretary J Jayalalitha on Monday asked Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to shift George Fernandes out of the defence ministry.

During her luncheon meeting with the prime minister, the AIADMK chief also presented a set of demands, which she insisted the government should implement sooner than later.

Jayalalitha's main demand that Fernandes be stripped of the defence portfolio has put Bharatiya Janata Party strategists on guard. Especially as the Bhagwat issue may upset the BJP's equations with its allies when Parliament reassembles on April 12.

Sources said despite the prime minister's reiteration that the defence minister will not be shifted, Jayalalitha insisted that a Joint Parliamentary Committee be set up to investigate the charges levelled against Fernandes by Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat.

She reminded Vajpayee that the AIADMK had set a precedent for Fernandes as her nominee in the Cabinet, Sedapatti R Muthaiah resigned last April after corruption charges were filed against him. Therefore, the AIADMK chief insisted that the same set of rules be applied to everyone in the Vajpayee ministry.

The prime minister listened patiently to Jayalalitha's demands and assured her that he would act against any Cabinet minister if corruption charges against the minister concerned was proved. He also pacified the AIADMK supremo on the Bhagwat issue, suggesting that in view of the sensitive national security issues involved, a JPC at this juncture is detrimental to the country's interests.

AIADMK officials said Jayalalitha's bid to oust Fernandes for his alleged links with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and for his role in the Bhagwat dismissal is aimed at sending a strong signal to the prime minister that he can no longer put her demands in cold storage.

Sources said despite his position that no JPC will be convened on the Bhagwat issue, the prime minister did not want to antagonise Jayalalitha. Therefore, he assured her that the government, and particularly Fernandes, could share the relevant files on the naval chief's dismissal with the AIADMK leader.

Jayalalitha also put before the prime minister three of her long-standing demands: the dismissal of the Tamil Nadu government, Vazhappadi K Ramamurthy's removal from the petroleum ministry and induction of three more AIADMK MPs in the Union ministry.

She told the prime minister that the petroleum portfolio was allocated to Ramamurthy from the AIADMK's share of Cabinet berths, and therefore he should be immediately shifted from the ministry.

Some her other demands included dropping the enforcement directorate's charges against her in the JJTV case, taking action against Tamil Maanila Congress leaders for their alleged involvement in the Indian Bank scam and the transfer/postings of officials who she insisted are harassing her.

The prime minister assured her that some of her demands are seriously being considered. He gave instances such as the setting up of a committee studying the inclusion of languages like Tamil in the Eighth Schedule and implementing Constitutional safeguards for 50 per cent reservations for backward castes in states like Tamil Nadu.

The prime minister also indicated to her that enough representation will be given to the AIADMK and Ramamurthy will be shifted from the petroleum portfolio when he expands his ministry, probably after the ongoing Budget session of Parliament.

BJP strategists claimed the prime minister and BJP leaders have succeeded in mollifying Jayalalitha during her Delhi visit as the government conceded most of her initial demands.

The government seems anxious to get Fernandes out of the muddle, as allies like the AIADMK are set to ensure the defence minister's ouster. BJP politicians are upset that Jayalalitha's demand will encourage the Opposition move against the government on the Bhagwat issue.

BJP vice-president K L Sharma said Jayalalitha's demand for shifting Fernandes out of the defence ministry "is being dealt with by the prime minister."

"It is the prime minister's prerogative to induct and shift ministers. Neither the party nor its coalition partners have anything to do with it," he told Rediff On The NeT.

Sharma said the BJP leadership is of the opinion that "there is no need to change Fernandes at this juncture" as no Opposition party has produced any evidence of corruption against the defence minister.

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