Ruling out joining the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK general secretary J. Jayalalithaa, however, kept the door open for support to the Narendra Modi government in the Rajya Sabha, where it has no numbers to be anywhere near a simple majority to ensure passage of Bills.
After a 50-minute-long meeting with Mr. Modi in Delhi, Ms. Jayalalithaa maintained that the issue of formal association of her party with the NDA does not arise, as the BJP-led grouping has more than a simple majority in the Lok Sabha.
In the course of her meeting, Ms. Jayalalithaa submitted a memorandum listing various issues of concern to the State and sought help from the Centre. The AIADMK chief said that Mr. Modi, who had served three terms as Chief Minister understands problems of States and she was hopeful that he would do the needful to redress the grievances of Tamil Nadu.
One of the main issues she raised pertained to the need to expedite the supervisory committee for raising the water level in Mullaperiyar dam. She also flagged the issue of power shortage in the State.
Ms. Jayalalithaa presented a 64-page memorandum to the Prime Minister containing the issues relating to the inter-State river water sharing, including the Cauvery and Mullaperiyar, said a statement issued by the government.
It included other issues like Sri Lankan Tamils, restoration of the traditional fishing rights of Tamil Nadu fishermen, grant of the Digital Addressable System license for the Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation, infrastructure, specifically power, urban infrastructure, Metro Rail, transport and industrial infrastructure, modernisation of the police force and declaration of Tamil as an official language.
It said that the Chief Minister explained briefly about the important issues, which are crucial to protecting Tamil Nadu’s interests and to ensure rapid development of the State.
Ms. Jayalalithaa also called on the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and discussed financial issues relating to the State with him and senior officers of the Ministry of Finance including Arvind Mayaram, Finance Secretary and Ratan P. Watal, Expenditure Secretary among others. She was accompanied by the Chief Secretary and other senior officers of the State.
The Union Minister for Communication Technology and Law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad called on the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. Earlier in the day Ms. Jayalalitha made a call on the President Pranab Mukherjee.
