Options on alliance open: Jaya

Chennai, Dec 30 (UNI) Leader of the Opposition in Tamil Nadu and AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalitha today said her party was keeping the options open on alliance for the next Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.

''The AIADMK is keeping its options open on having alliance with other political parties for the next Assembly polls,'' she told reporters at the party headquarters here, when asked about speculations of her party moving closer to the BJP.

''It's for the media to infer'', she said, when reporters pointed out to her greeting senior BJP leader and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and her invitation to him to visit Chennai.

On attaching political significance to her congratulating Mr Modi for his victory in the recent Assenmbly polls in Gujarat, Ms Jayalalithaa said ''Mr Modi is my friend and congratulating him does not mean that my party will ally with the BJP.'' Commenting on his victory, she said it was the result of good governance and hard work done by Mr Modi.

Condemning the assassination of former Pakistan Premier Benazir Bhutto, Ms Jayalalithaa said it proved that terrorism exists across the border.

UNI