The Hindu : DMK, Congress talks inconclusive

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 26, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

DMK, Congress talks inconclusive

By Our Special Correspondent

The Congress emissaries, Manmohan Singh (left) and Kamal Nath, with the DMK president, M. Karunanidhi, before they held talks on seat sharing for the Lok Sabha elections, in Chennai on Sunday. Looking on are the TNCC president, G.K. Vasan (second from left), and the DMK deputy general secretary, M.K. Stalin. — Photo: T.A. Hafeez

CHENNAI, JAN. 25. With another round of discussions between the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Congress on seat sharing for the Lok Sabha elections remaining inconclusive, the DMK president, M. Karunanidhi, today said that the talks needed to be completed in a week's time.

Answering questions after a meeting with the All-India Congress Committee emissaries, Manmohan Singh and Kamal Nath, he said that if the talks were not completed in a week's time there would be confusion. ``We have to hold talks with the other parties too. Talks with the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Communist Party of India and the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam will be facilitated only if we decide in which constituencies this party (the Congress) will contest.''

On today's talks, the DMK chief said: ``the steps are measured...they (the talks) are nearing completion.''

Mr. Kamal Nath said they had ``very good and positive discussions'' on creating ``a credible and formidable alliance. We have crossed another milestone in discussing various modalities of the alliance. In the next two or three days the State unit will discuss with the DMK more issues, including those at the district-level of the campaign.''

Mr. Karunanidhi said more discussions with the Congress high command might not be needed.

The DMK chief said he and the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, agreed on the number of seats the Congress would contest. Mr. Kamal Nath, however, differed. ``We had a discussion on this. It is still continuing. Now the State unit will sit with the DMK committee to define the constituencies and the geographical spread.''

Pondicherry seat issue

On the DMK having given the Pondicherry seat to the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), Mr. Karunanidhi said that at the time the seat was given, the DMK did not have to take into consideration other parties. ``It was given (to the PMK) when an agreement between us and the Congress was a question mark.'' Mr. Kamal Nath clarified that the ``alliance is firm and final.'' Both the parties were working towards building better ``chemistry'' since it was how they worked together that ``determined strength'' on the ground. ``It is true that the DMK has allotted Pondicherry to the PMK. But we will discuss this further bearing in mind that the DMK has already taken a decision on this. The PMK is also part of the alliance. We will also talk to other alliance partners to see that everything is satisfactorily resolved.''

Mr. Karunanidhi said the DMK had given the seat to the PMK. There could be no reconsideration on this as an agreement had been signed.

The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president, G.K. Vasan, and three members of the DMK's seat-sharing committee, T.R. Baalu, Durai Murugan and M.K. Stalin, were present.

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