Jayalalithaa keeps everyone guessing

All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief J Jayalalithaa, whose party fought the Lok Sabha elections as part of the Third Front, on Wednesday appeared to be keeping her options open, saying she has got feelers from 'many places' and that she would decide on her strategy after the results are out.

The former Tamil Nadu chief minister, whose AIADMK is in an alliance with Left parties, Pattali Makkal Katchi and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in Tamil Nadu and is expected to do well in the polls, said she would decide on her strategy after consulting her allies.

"There are feelers from many places. But I am not responding to any overtures now. I prefer to wait until May 16, until I have the results in my hand and then I'll decide what to do after consultation with my allies," Jayalalithaa said when asked whether she has got any feelers from the Bharatiya Janata Party for her support to the National Democratic Alliance government.

Replying to another question on Janata Dal - Secular chief H D Deve Gowda's statement that the Third Front would remain intact, she said she would not comment on any such statements now. Jayalalithaa was speaking to reporters after casting her vote at the Stella Maris College in Chennai.

Asked whether she will go to Delhi after the results are out, she said, "Everything depends on the results. If the results are as the way I expect, I will be going to Delhi."

The AIADMK chief claimed that if the polls are held in a 'free and fair manner' in Tamil Nadu, her party-led alliance 'will sweep the elections'.

Jayalalithaa alleged that some of the EVMs were not functioning properly in certain booths in Chennai. "I have received complaints that EVMs are not working properly in many places. In South Madras constituency, I have received a number of complaints in this regard," she said.