Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa continued her tirade against the Congress, but this time taking on Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna on the Veerappan kidnap issues on September 2.

Ruling out any negotiations with the brigand for the release of former minister H Nagappa – the recent abduction victim – Jayalalithaa alleged that Karnataka had paid a ransom of Rs 30 crore for the release of matinee idol Dr Rajkumar, who had been kidnapped by Veerappan two years ago.

"Our aim is to go all out to capture Veerappan without jeopardising the life of Nagappa," she told a press conference.

Jayalalithaa said that joint special task force (STF) operations by Tamil Nadu and Karnataka was on and efforts were on all out to nab Veerappan.

She said Veerappan is said to have abandoned the bus in which he kidnapped Nagappa at a place 30-km from Tamil Nadu border and the police would see to it that he would not enter Tamil Nadu.

She said there was a regular exchange of information between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka on the ongoing operations. She would be meeting Nagappa's wife on September 3 in Chennai.

Asked whether the Karnataka government was dilly-dallying on the operations, she said there have been no further communications from the Karnataka Chief Minister.

Asked whether she would support a move for holding negotiations with Veerappan or send emissaries for the purpose she said no such proposal has been discussed with Karnataka government.

"I am definitely opposed to such a proposal."

PTI