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Sri Lanka ‘very happy’ at Jayalalithaa’s ‘reduced influence’

The Sri Lankan government said it was very happy that the BJP’s strong showing in India’s election means that the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa will not be able to influence the central government, reported PTI.

Spokesperson and Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said his government was pleased that they could conduct business with Narendra Modi without Tamil Nadu exerting “undue influence”.

Jayalalithaa's party, AIADMK, secured a sweeping victory, winning a record number of seats and emerging as the third largest party in India, behind the BJP and the Congress party.

"A powerful government in Delhi is very good for us. Whatever the decision that the Centre takes, it will be without any undue influence from states like Tamil Nadu," he said.

"We are very happy that there is a very strong government and Prime Minister (-elect) Modi does not have to depend on any other party for his majority. This means even if Jayalalithaa had won 37 out of 39 seats in Tamil Nadu, she would not be in a position to influence the Centre," Rambukwella told reporters in Colombo.

Rambukwella said that Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Indian Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi had “a lot of similarities”, without elaborating further.

Landslide victories for BJP in Indian election and AIADMK in Tamil Nadu (16 May 2014)

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