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Journalism of Courage
CHENNAI, July 12: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayeee on Saturday telephoned AIADMK chief J Jayalalitha within hours of her complaining to the media that she had not yet been consulted on the issue of Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker’s election.
Soon after talking to the Prime Minister, Jayalalitha said the AIADMK will adhere to the decision taken by the Prime Minister on the issue. According to a statement from the AIADMK headquarters this evening, the Prime Minister spoke to Jayalalitha in the evening and sought her opinion on the issue of choosing a candidate.
The option of giving the post to an Opposition candidate also figured in their talks, the statement said, adding that the AIADMK leader had informed Vajpayee that her party was amenable to any candidate chosen by him.
The statement added that Jayalalitha also thanked the PM for heeding her request and agreeing to confer Statehood on Pondicherry.
Earlier in the day Jayalalitha, in a brief chat with the reporters at senior AIADMK leader V RNedunchezian’s residence, stated that the BJP had not consulted her so far on the Deputy Speaker’s election. Jayalalitha was there to offer felicitations to Nedunchezian on his 79th birthday. However, she refused to answer queries on the political situation, stating that the occasion was a social visit and she did not wish to say anything political’.
When mediapersons quizzed her on her expectations on the Cauvery River water issue, she said, “I will tell you all about that later”. She added that she will be addressing a press meet on the subject soon. Answering a query on whether she will be going to New Delhi to hold talks with BJP leaders, Jayalalitha said, “Not immediately”.
