Jaya, Ramadoss to announce new front soon

All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief Jayalalithaa on Thursday afternoon called up Pattali Makkal Katchi leader S Ramadoss and thanked his party for seeking an alliance with ADMK in Tamil Nadu. The PMK general council voted for the alliance by an overwhelming margin of more than 2,200 votes.

The PMK deserted the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance on Thursday and joined the AIADMK-led front in Tamil Nadu.

Jayalalithaa suggested the PMK leader that a high level meeting to discuss seat sharing between the two parties will be conducted after a round of preliminary meetings.

Jayalalithaa and Ramadoss will jointly address a press conference in Chennai to formally declare the formation of a new front, which most probably will be christened as the "Nationalist Progressive Secular Tamil Front," sources revealed.

On Friday at 11 am Ramadoss will conduct a press conference in Chennai, where he is expected to release the election manifesto.

At 3 pm Jayalalitha will meet her party leaders in the AIADMK headquarters in Chennai and speak to the media.

On Saturday afternoon, Jayalalitha is scheduled to meet S Ramadoss at her Poes Garden residence in Chennai, which will be followed by TV interviews and a press conference.