5 Dec : In a significant move, the AIADMK and the CPI(M) jointly announced on Friday that they have formed an alliance for next year’s Lok Sabha elections while Karat said the two parties would be holding more discussions.
The announcement came after the "wide ranging" discussions, held between CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat and his AIADMK counterpart Jayalalithaa, on various issues.
Speaking to reporters after an hour-long meeting, Jayalalithaa described the meeting with Karat as "cordial"."I am happy with the meeting. AIADMK and CPI(M) will enter into an electoral alliance (for the Lok Sabha elections)," she said.
Asked about the possible entry of other parties like PMK, Jayalalithaa said, "wait and see".Slamming the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre on various fronts, she said, "we need a strong government that would restore the economy."
Sharing similar stand with the Left parties in opposing the Indo-US nuclear deal and on issues like inflation and price rise, Jayalalithaa slammed the Congress-led UPA at the Centre and said "we need a strong government that would restore the economy."On the possibility of other players, especially the PMK, joining the alliance, she said "wait and see".
Asked if the CPI (M), AIADMK and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) could work together as a common front, Karat said his party had no ties with the Mayawati-led BSP.
"However we have understanding with the Telugu Desam party and the Janata Dal (secular)," he said.Earlier, Karat said the party’s Politburo as well as the state committee had decided to face the Lok Sabha elections "in cooperation with the AIADMK."
"It was a good discussion," a smiling Karat said about his meeting with Jayalalithaa, who too described the parley as "cordial".The meeting comes just about a fortnight after Bardhan had met the former Chief Minister at her residence at the invitation of the latter and held hour-long discussion on electoral pacts.
He had then mentioned about the Left parties’ decision to "go together" in the general elections.