Foreign origin main issue, says Jayalalithaa

AIADMK supremo speaking on Sonia Gandhi insisted a nation of 100 crore should not have a 'foreigner' as PM.

AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa on Monday said Sonia Gandhi's foreign origin was the main issue in the elections but sidestepped questions about supporting a Congress-led coalition without Gandhi.

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"In a country with a population of more than 100 crore can we not find an Indian to lead the country. This has become the main issue in this election", the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, who is spearheading the AIADMK-BJP combine campaign, said.

Jayalalithaa said it did not matter what the political commentators or analysts say, "but this is the issue before us".

"At this moment, all my energies are concentrated on winning this elections. I do not want to indulge in speculation. That is all premature", she said when asked whether her party could back Congress if Gandhi declares that she would not be the Prime Minister.

When told that the DMK-led alliance consists of several parties and she was the sole campaigner of her alliance, she said "I am not worried about it at all. Numbers do not mean anything."

In this regard, she drew a pararrel from Mahabharata reminding that there were only five Pandavas against 100 Kauravas and "who won in the end".