Amid talk of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa emerging as a potential prime ministerial candidate of the non-Congress non-BJP alternative that is in the making, several leaders involved in this process said on Sunday that it was still early days for the yet-to-be-named grouping.
Talk of Ms. Jayalalithaa being a potential PM candidate gained currency after she met Communist Party of India leader general secretary Sudhakar Reddy and veteran leader A.B. Bardhan in Chennai. Essentially, the television networks went viral with Mr. Bardhan’s reply to a question on the clamour within the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) to see Ms. Jayalalithaa as premier.
Responding to the question, he said that possibility would open up if the non-Congress non-BJP alternative does well in the elections. Though the Chief Minister herself stepped in to say that this was an issue which will come up later, Mr. Bardhan’s observation held sway.
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Setting things into perspective, Mr. Reddy said the issue of premiership was not discussed at the meeting as right now the non-Congress non-BJP parties were still exploring the possibility of an understanding at the State-level ahead of the elections. “But clarity will come only after the polls.”
CPI (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat told The Hindu that currently the two Left parties were essentially in talks with the AIADMK on a State-level alliance. He was also supposed to have been at the meeting in Poes Garden but could not make it because of a prior engagement. He is now scheduled to meet Ms. Jayalalithaa on Monday after which the two leaders will address a joint press conference.