The Hindu : Talk of two secular fronts `misplaced': DMK chief

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 12, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Talk of two secular fronts `misplaced': DMK chief

CHENNAI, JAN. 11. The Lok Jansakthi Party president, Ram Vilas Paswan, today called on the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president, M. Karunanidhi, at his residence here and discussed the emerging electoral alliances in the country.

"He (Paswan) was of the opinion that a Prime Minister should be selected on behalf of the secular front. He solicited the DMK's cooperation for this idea," Mr. Karunanidhi said after the meeting and added that the DMK also held the same view.

"We are against the communal forces. We are of the view that we must strengthen the secular forces and try to form a secular Government at the Centre (after elections)," said Mr. Paswan.

Asked if there would be prolonged confusion over the choosing of a Prime Ministerial candidate in the secular front, Mr. Karunanidhi said it had already been announced that the leaders of constituent parties would decide on the issue.

The DMK chief described as "misplaced" the talk of emergence of two secular fronts — one led by the Congress and another led by the Left parties. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary, Harkishan Singh Surjeet, had explained that the Left would support a Congress-led front.

On the possibility of the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) joining the DMK-led front in the State, Mr. Karunanidhi said he believed that the PMK would be with the DMK. (The PMK's top leadership will meet in Chennai on Monday to take a decision). When Mr. Paswan was asked if he would appeal to any party — especially the PMK and the Telugu Desam Party — to leave the National Democratic Alliance, he said leaders of the parties were "not children." They would have a reason for any decision that they take.

Asked if the poll campaign this time would seek to tarnish the reputation of individuals in the light of a few Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders saying that the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi's origin would be a poll issue as also the reported DMK demand for dismissal of the Tamil Nadu Government, Mr. Karunanidhi said the party had never demanded the dismissal of a Government using provisions under Article 356 of the Constitution. It was of the opinion that the provision should be annulled. He said the party general secretary, K. Anbazhagan, had made the demand (for the dismissal of the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Government) when Mr. Karunanidhi was in prison. He added that after he came out of prison, he had clarified that that view was aired out of anger.

Mr. Paswan was confident that the aim to sully Ms. Gandhi's reputation by using her foreign origin as an issue would not click. "That is an old stunt of the BJP. Every time you cannot have the same stunt. People have accepted Sonia as a citizen of this country. Once you become a Member of Parliament, how can you prevent him or her from becoming Prime Minister?," he asked. Mr. Paswan said none of the alliance partners thought of Ms. Gandhi as a foreigner.

The DMK chief said a decision on advancing the Virudhunagar conference of the party would be taken once the election dates were announced.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu