Advani non-committal on alliance with AIADMK

Chennai, Sep 20: Senior BJP leader L K Advani today remained non-committal on the possible revival of party's alliance with the All India Anna DMK (AIADMK).

Addressing a press conference here, Mr Advani evaded a direct reply when asked whether he was in touch with AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa and whether it was a prelude to reviving ties with the party for the next Lok Sabha elections.

Speculations were rife that Mr Advani would call on the AIADMK leader to formalise the ties after party spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad completed the groundwork last week.

However, the much-talked about meeting could not take place as Ms Jayalalithaa had left for her Kodanadu estate in the Nilgiris district, in the wake of a show cause notice served by the local administration, seeking to demolish the estate bungalow.

Asked whether he was in touch with Ms Jayalalithaa and the possibility of revival of alliance with the AIADMK, Mr Advani, replying to the first part of the question, said that he spoke to her after the Centre filed the controversial affidavit before the Supreme Court about Lord Ram and Ram Sethu.

She told him that she also shared the concern over the stand taken by the Centre and issued a statement condemning the Congress- led UPA Government, Mr Advani said. However, he declined to ansuer the second part of the question-- about alliance.

Replying to another question, Mr Advani merely said that Mr Prasad had obtained permission from him to meet Ms Jayalalithaa and described the meeting as a courtesy call.

To a specific question, Mr Advani said there were parties, which were inimical to the BJP. As he paused for a moment, someone asked another question and the BJP leader moved on to other issue.

Asked whether he saw a political realignment at the time of polls, Mr Advani declined to reply.

UNI