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| Wednesday, 4 February 2004 |
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India's main parties firm alliances with former foes MADRAS, India, Tuesday (AFP) India's ruling Hindu nationalist party and the main opposition Congress firmed up alliances with former political foes in a key southern state as they readied for looming national elections. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, head of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), heaped praise on J. Jayalalitha, a flamboyant ex-actress now chief minister of Tamil Nadu and leader of the regional AIADMK party. "We value our partnership with Jayalalitha," he said on a visit to the Tamil Nadu town of Kanyakumari, India's southernmost tip, after the BJP sewed up ties with the AIADMK. "Under her leadership, Tamil Nadu has made massive strides in socio-economic development." Vajpayee's statements came as the BJP's rival and Congress announced a seat-sharing deal with Jayalalitha's rival in Tamil Nadu, the regional DMK. Ironically, both the BJP and Congress have struck alliances with parties in Tamil Nadu that were their bitter enemies some months ago. Neither the BJP nor Congress has a large presence by itself in Tamil Nadu. |
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