Chennai: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley met AIADMK chief and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa at her Poes Garden residence in Chennai today. The meeting lasted for 40 minutes.
This is the first time a BJP union minister met Ms Jayalalithaa after her conviction in a disproportionate assets case.
There’s speculation that Mr Jaitley sought the AIADMK’s support in a likely joint sitting of Parliament to pass crucial bills. However, AIADMK calls this a courtesy call.
The BJP which has absolute majority in the Lok Sabha runs short of numbers in the upper house and support from friendly parties like the AIADMK would be crucial to pass important legislations.
AIADMK has 37 MPs in Lok Sabha and 11 MPs in the Rajya Sabha. Both parties had fought against each other in the recent Lok Sabha polls.
