TNCC welcomes Jayalalithaa’s stand on Lokpal Bill

A file picture of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa. Photo: S. Subramanium.

Congress’ state unit in Tamil Nadu today welcomed Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s statement that the Prime Minister should be kept out of the Lokpal ambit and said this would pave the way for “healthy democracy.”

Recalling her interview to a private TV news channel that bringing the Prime Minister under the Lokpal will undermine his authority, TNCC president K V Thangkabalu said he welcomed Ms. Jayalalithaa’s statement on behalf of Congress’ state unit.

“This will pave the way for healthy democracy,” he said in a statement.

Without naming social activist Anna Hazare and Yoga guru Baba Ramdev, he said some “self-appointed new avatars”, had come up to eradicate corruption but he doubted their intentions.

The Centre was keen on passing the Lokpal bill in Parliament to ensure corruption-free administration, he added.

Ms. Jayalalithaa had said in the interview that she was against bringing the Prime Minister under the Lokpal since it would undermine his authority and pave way for a parallel government.