Jayalalithaa lends support to Narendra Modi's three-day fast

NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has pledged her support for Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's three-day fast. The AIADMK supremo will be sending two senior party leaders - M Thambidurai and V Maitreyan - to be present when Modi begins his fast on Saturday morning in Ahmedabad.

Jayalalithaa's support for Modi's mega event is significant as it indicates a lack of traction for the 'secular debate' that prompted non-BJP politicians from backing any political project associated with the Gujarat chief minister.

Modi, who announced his fast a day after the Supreme Court order on the Gulberg Society riots case, is encouraged by the response to his fast. "Glad to see the overwhelming solidarity for Sadbhavana Mission. People are also joining in large numbers through missed call on 022-61550770 (toll-free)," he tweeted on Friday.

On Thursday, Punjab Chief Minister and BJP ally Prakash Singh Badal had announced his decision to go to Ahmedabad to be present when Modi begins his fast. Another NDA constituent, Shiv Sena, is likely to send its representative. Among the BJP leaders who will be there are LK Advani, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, Rajnath Singh, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Shahnawaz Hussain.

According to agency reports from Ahmedabad, the city has turned into a fortress with both Modi and Congress leader Shankarsinh Vaghela all set to begin their fasts. While Modi has Z+ category security, Vaghela has Z category. "A huge contingent of police force has been deployed at both the venues where these leaders would be observing the fast from September 17 to 19," a news agency quoted city Police Commissioner SK Sinha as saying.

Security arrangements have also to be made for leaders like Advani, Rajnath Singh and Badal. Sinha said that bomb disposal squads, anti-sabotage squad, dog squad, a Quick Response Team and State Reserve Police units have been deployed at the Gujarat University Convention Hall, the venue for Modi's fast.

Announcing his 'Sadbhavna Mission' for peace and harmony of Gujarat, Modi had said, "for the past ten years, it had become fashionable to defame me and the state of Gujarat. These elements who could not tolerate any positive development of Gujarat have not left any stone unturned to defame Gujarat. It is difficult to say whether this campaign of defamation will stop even after the judgment of the Supreme Court."