Welfare of Tamil Nadu, rather than politics of alliance, dominated the first visit of Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa to Delhi, after her astounding election victory in May.
Meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, she is learned to have brought up issues like Tamil Nadu's Central financial assistance and revival of Jallikattu and release of the seven Rajiv Gandhi assassination convicts.
She submitted a 92-page memorandum featuring various state requirements to Modi, who congratulated her on her victory in the assembly polls. Those in the know described the 50-minute meeting between Jayalalithaa and Modi as cordial.
Sources said Modi sought AIADMK's support in the Rajya Sabha for the GST bill. Although Jayalalithaa has expressed reservation on certain aspects of the Goods and Services Tax bill, she is expected to come onboard with the Centre if above demands are met.
“The Centre should accept the AIADMK’s amendments to the GST Bill. A number of concerns of Tamil Nadu need to be addressed by the Centre on GST... petroleum products must be kept out of GST,” the memorandum Jayalalithaa submitted to Modi read.
The BJP which is struggling hard to gather support for the GST bill, has already started roping in regional parties. Finance Minister Arun Jaitely on Tuesday said in Kolkata that almost all states, except Tamil Nadu support the GST bill.
Jayalalithaa's memorandum further demanded interlinking of rivers, retrieval of Katchatheevu island and inclusion of fishermen in the scheduled tribes list. It also demanded the setting up of Cauvery Development board, raising the water level at the Mullaiperiyar dam to 152 feet and early commissioning of unit 2 of the Kudankulam nuclear power plant.
