Livid Jaya plans stir in Madurai

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa is said to be furious about United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and its ally, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagham (DMK), stealing the thunder from her over the unveiling of the Sethusamudram project, to be held in Madurai tomorrow.

She has claimed that she was not invited formally to the ceremony and only asked through the press to attend the function.

Sources said she was likely to make an issue out of it, citing "breach of protocol". Hinting at her future stance, she accused the Centre of "subverting" the required environmental clearance and announced that she would boycott the Sethusamudram canal project function.

In what might appear to be a big embarrassment for Jayalalithaa, it will be DMK chief M Karunanidhi who will share the dais with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

The function will also see the likes of Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Telecommunications and IT Minister Dayanidhi Maran and Health Minister A Ramadoss gracing the occasion.

Sources said the choice of venue, Madurai, was decided by the DMK chief. But in what could be double irony, Madurai is said to be flooded with DMK flags and pictures of Karun-anidhi with the UPA leadership completely sidelined.

Jayalalithaa has announced protests in eight states, including Tamil Nadu on Saturday, citing the recent petroleum price hike as the reason.

Sources said the AIADMK was planning a big dharna in Madurai tomorrow, since both the Prime Minister and the Congress chief would be attending the opening ceremony.

In Delhi, the AIADMK's special representative to the Centre, V Maitreyan would lead a protest march, party sources said.