Jaya’s fast make allies feel happy

(March 06, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) The announcement made by AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa that she would observe a day-long fast on 10 March over the Sri Lankan issue has made her alliance partners, the Communist parties and the MDMK feel happy.

But the question that is doing rounds in political circles is that, whether the PMK, which is known for its ‘strong care and concern’ for the Lankan Tamils will join hands with the AIADMK, as the former Chief Minister has now made her stand clear that she had no second opinion that the war should be stopped in Lanka.

According to political observers, Jayalalithaa’s decision to go on a fast is a checkmate to those who hit out at her for her stand over the Lankan issue.

And the PMK has now got one more valid reason to go to the AIADMK camp, if the sharing of seats in the DMK camp failed to make it happy. Meanwhile, the CPI, which recently aligned with the AIADMK for the Lok Sabha polls, announced its ‘wholehearted support and cooperation’ to the fast announced by Jayalalithaa.

CPI State secretary D Pandian said in a statement here that the announcement from Jayalalithaa came as ‘relief for the Sri Lankan Tamil people as well as encouragement and joy for the Indian Tamils.’

Jayalalithaa said yesterday that she would observe a day-long fast on 10 March in Chennai demanding that the Centre should work for bringing about an immediate ceasefire between the Sri Lankan forces and the LTTE.

Announcing a State-wide protest, the former Tamilnadu Chief Minister, in a statement, said that other prominent leaders of the party would lead the fast in the district headquarters.

Blaming the Centre and the ruling party in the State, DMK, for ‘failing to ensure ceasefire’ in Sri Lanka, she said the fast would be aimed at pressing the Centre to ensure peace in the island nation where the security of a large number of civilian Tamils is under threat.

She also expressed complete solidarity with the Sri Lankan Tamils.During the protest, the party would also collect donations for providing relief to the Sri Lankan Tamils. -Sri Lanka Guardian