Chennai, May 14 (Inditop) The AIADMK Thursday preferred to maintain a studied silence on the Congress’ overtures and said the party was keeping its options open till the Lok Sabha results are out on Saturday.
Congress spokesperson Digvijay Singh said in New Delhi that he did not consider AIADMK boss J. Jayalalithaa communal and that she had “never indicated any affection for (Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi)”.
The Congress leader’s comments are an obvious signal of the party’s willingness to align with the Tamil Nadu party post-elections if the numbers do not add up in its favour.
Declining to comment on Singh’s views, AIADMK’s MP and parliamentary party leader V. Maitreyan told IANS: “We are keeping our options open till the election results are announced on May 16.”
The Congress, despite being in alliance with the DMK, has said it is open to align with like-minded parties, including the AIADMK, to form the government at the centre.
Even Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was non-committal on the continuation of the Congress’ pre-poll alliance in Tamil Nadu.
To a specific question from a journalist at a press meet here, Manmohan Singh had said earlier: “As of now, we are fighting the elections with the DMK.”
According to Maitreyan, the various exit polls published have predicted defeat for the DMK-Congress alliance in Tamil Nadu.
“Our alliance will win at least 30 Lok Sabha seats and AIADMK on its own will get around 20 seats,” Maitreyan added.
The party is playing a wait and watch game till the election results, the time when it will know its bargaining power.
A party official said support to Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar’s candidature to the prime minister’s post will depend on the election results.
rounak