NEW DELHI: Congress President Sonia Gandhi finally opened the
door for a dialogue with AIADMK supremo J Jayalalitha by turning
up at Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy's teaparty Monday
evening in the last minute decision.

She, however, tried to play it down as a meeting of old friends
but Jayalalitha in whose honour the teaparty was arranged went
ga-ga at Sonia blessing reception to her as she hailed it as a
"political earthquake."

There was nothing more than 20 seconds of handshake for the
benefit of cameramen and chatting with each other but still that
sent tremors in the ruling BJP as Jayalalitha quipped that this
would not bring down the Vajpayee Government but "it can
certainly create tremors there."

Sonia skirted questions, saying it was only a meeting of old
friends but dropped political hints by saying it was a part of
the continuing process. She left the glittering Ashoka Hotel
hall after just ten minutes and that too without taking tea.

Those among the prominent guests turning up at the teaparty were
three former prime ministers P.V.Narasimha Rao, Chandrashekhar
and Deve Gowda, former deputy prime minister Devi lal, Kalpnath
Rai from the Samata party, Omar Farooq Abdullah from the
national conference, Buta Singh, Uma Bharti from the BJP, Suresh
kalmadi and pritish Nandy, Romesh bhandari, the naib Imam of
jama Masjid and Om Prakash Chautala.

Though 10 Janpath kept it a guarded secret, all top Congress
leaders were told Monday morning that Sonia Gandhi is attending
the reception and so those in toe from the Congress included
 Dr manmohan singh, Balram Jhakhar, Ghulam nabi Azad, Sushil
Kumar Shinde, Jitendra prasada, Kamal nath, kapil Sibal, Madhav
rao Scindia, N.D.Tewari V.N.Gadgil, Ajit Jogi, Bhaskar rao,
Jairam Ramesh and many others.

Lok Sabha Opposition leader Sharad Pawar and CWC dmember ARjun
Singh were however among the imporant Congress absentees. Both
were away from Delhi. Nor did come Lalaoo Yadav and Mulayam
Singh yadav or anybody from the left parties. END.
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