Talking to reporters in the lobby of the hotel where she will stay for the next few days, she said that a viable alternative government was possible. The modalities of such an alternative would be discussed with leaders of like-minded secular parties including Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, she added.

``I have come to Delhi to take the third and final step,'' she remarked, recalling that her first step was to withdraw the two AIADMK ministers from the Vajpayee government and the second was to pull out of the ruling coalition's co-ordination committee.

Asked when she would withdraw her party's support, the AIADMK chief remarked: ``You will know in a couple of days.''

Unlike her last visitwhen the BJP rolled out the red carpet for her, there was no one from the ruling coalition to receive her at the airport. Nor was there anybody from the Opposition. The entire contingent of the AIADMK MPs and Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy only were in attendance.

Replying to a question, she agreed that her party's aligning with the BJP was a ``mistake.'' ``I wasted the whole year,'' she said, characterising the period as one of non-governance and lack of administration.

Asked if she would set any preconditions for an alternative government, Jayalalitha said that she had none. All that she expected was a government which would deliver rather than make promises.

About her long-standing demand for the dismissal of the Karunanidhi government in Tamil Nadu, she replied that the issue was not of dismissal of that government but that of national security.

Earlier in Chennai, she told reporters that the withdrawal of support by her party to the BJP-led government was ``inevitable.'' She said that therewas no room for reconciliation with the BJP after Prime Minister A B Vajpayee and his Home Minister L K Advani had sought the support of the AIADMK's arch-enemy, the DMK, to save its government. ``They have themselves closed the doors by talking to DMK Chief M Karunanidhi,'' she remarked.

Jayalalitha said that she would not not rule herself out as a PM candidate. ``Who will emerge as the next prime minister will be known only after the discussions with leaders of other parties,'' she added. She said she did not propose to meet Vajpayee in Delhi.

Meanwhile, the Congress is watching the emerging political situation with a great deal of interest. It today described Jayalalitha's visit as ``significant.'' But spokesman Ajit Jogi said no formal meeting had been scheduled between Sonia Gandhi and Jayalalitha in the next three days.

Asked if individual Congress leaders would meet Jayalalitha, he said he had no information. Jaya's visit is expected to spark off frenzied political games with the DMK and TMCboth saying today that they will oppose both the BJP and the AIADMK. This was stated by TMC chief G K Moopanar tonight in the presence of top DMK functionaries Murasoli Maran and Arcot N. Veerasamy.

Meanwhile, the DMK which has six precious Lok Sabha members has urgently convened a meeting of the party's executive committee in Chennai tomorrow.Moopanar told reporters that there was no difference of opinion between the DMK and the TMC that they would have no truck with either the BJP or the AIADMK. The two DMK leaders had called on Moopanar at the latter's residence to discuss the political situation.

Meanwhile, the DMK which has six precious Lok Sabha members has urgently convened a meeting of the party's executive committee in Chennai tomorrow.Moopanar, asked about the DMK stand regarding support to the BJP Government, said Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president had never said that the DMK would back the BJP Government. There is no tussle between the DMK and the TMC on the issue, he added.

What ifthe BJP Government fell? Moopanar said it was the BJP which should worry about it. ``And President K. R. Narayanan should consider steps. There is nothing for the TMC and the DMK to worry about,'' he added. On whether the Congress would form an alternative Government, he said, ``You should ask the Congress about it.''

Fresh elections would not be good for the country but the way things were going they might be inevitable, Moopanar added. Asked about the discussions, Maran said, ``We had an exchange of views. We can't say what the next step will be.''