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Bardhan, Jayalalithaa meeting ‘positive’

Special Correspondent

— Photo: S.S. Kumar

Exchanging notes: CPI general secretary A.B. Bardhan with AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa at her residence in Chennai on Wednesday.

CHENNAI: In an attempt at firming up an alliance for the Lok Sabha election, CPI general secretary A.B.Bardhan on Wednesday held discussions with AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa.

Political notes

Terming the meeting positive, cordial and friendly, Mr. Bardhan, accompanied by assistant secretary Sudhakar Reddy and State secretary D.Pandian, said he exchanged political notes and discussed various issues in the country.

“It is a good indication. You can draw your own conclusion,” he told reporters at the Poes Garden residence of Ms Jayalalithaa.

Asked whether the AIADMK was positive about an alliance with the Left parties, he said: “Let me tell you, it is she who invited me for today’s meeting. Unless there is an indication and willingness why should she invite us?”

Mr. Bardhan explained that both the CPI and the CPI(M) would go together in the elections. “Our formal meeting is to take place,” he said, and added that the CPI(M)’s Polit Bureau would meet on November 27 and 28.

Time frame

“But, I don’t like to anticipate the outcome of the meeting. It would be wrong of me to do that,” he said. He would brief CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat about his meeting with Ms. Jayalalithaa.

About the mood in the Left, he said, “You can draw your conclusions.”

To a question whether there was any time frame for finalising the alliance, he said there was no need to be in a hurry as the elections were far off.

Alliance with AIADMK

Asked whether the alliance with the AIADMK was a precursor to a nation-wide alliance, he said it was a “non-question.”

Referring to the support being extended by the DMK to the Congress on all issues, he said, “That was why we were against it. That was why we broke the alliance with the Congress and the UPA.”

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