Congress president Sonia Gandhi phoned All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief J Jayalalitha to congratulate her on her party’s massive victory in the Tamil Nadu assembly elections, and invited her for “discussions over tea,” party sources said yesterday.
Jayalalitha said in Chennai she had received a call from Gandhi.
“She congratulated me on the victory,” Jayalalitha told reporters after meeting Tamil Nadu Governor Surjit Singh Barnala to stake claim to form the government.
Congress spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan described it as a courtesy call.
“Our party president congratulated Jayalalithaa, it is a courtesy that is extended in a democracy to a leader who has led her party to victory,” Natarajan said.
The AIADMK-led front won 203 of the 234-member seats, while the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagham-Congress alliance got just 31. Jayalalitha was unanimously elected as leader of the AIADMK legislature party and will be sworn in as chief minister today.
Jayalalithaa said: “There are several challenges before the new government. We have to put the economy back on rails, take Tamil Nadu on the path of prosperity and growth. The focus is to bring down the prices, end power cuts and improve law and order.”
She said all parties will be invited for the swearing-in ceremony.
The AIADMK has nine Lok Sabha MPs.
Party sources indicated that an alliance with the Congress could be likely, but not soon.
A senior AIADMK leader said on condition of anonymity that an alliance with the Congress may be formed, but the present priority was forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
“There is a 60% chance that the AIADMK would join the United Progressive Alliance. But government formation is more important for us for now,” the leader said.
Jayalalitha said in Chennai she had received a call from Gandhi.
“She congratulated me on the victory,” Jayalalitha told reporters after meeting Tamil Nadu Governor Surjit Singh Barnala to stake claim to form the government.
Congress spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan described it as a courtesy call.
“Our party president congratulated Jayalalithaa, it is a courtesy that is extended in a democracy to a leader who has led her party to victory,” Natarajan said.
The AIADMK-led front won 203 of the 234-member seats, while the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagham-Congress alliance got just 31. Jayalalitha was unanimously elected as leader of the AIADMK legislature party and will be sworn in as chief minister today.
Jayalalithaa said: “There are several challenges before the new government. We have to put the economy back on rails, take Tamil Nadu on the path of prosperity and growth. The focus is to bring down the prices, end power cuts and improve law and order.”
She said all parties will be invited for the swearing-in ceremony.
The AIADMK has nine Lok Sabha MPs.
Party sources indicated that an alliance with the Congress could be likely, but not soon.
A senior AIADMK leader said on condition of anonymity that an alliance with the Congress may be formed, but the present priority was forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
“There is a 60% chance that the AIADMK would join the United Progressive Alliance. But government formation is more important for us for now,” the leader said.
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