The Hindu : Aladi Aruna suspended from DMK

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 05, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Aladi Aruna suspended from DMK

By Our Special Correspondent

Aladi Aruna

CHENNAI, MARCH 4. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam today suspended former Minister Aladi Aruna for bringing "disrepute" to the party and "violating" its discipline.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Aruna said he would campaign for the BJP in the Lok Sabha poll.

In a two-line press release, the DMK general secretary, K. Anbazhagan, said Mr.Aruna was relieved of all responsibilities in the party.

Not to join any party

Our New Delhi Special Correspondent reports:

In New Delhi, Mr. Aruna said he had taken a decision ``to campaign for National Democratic Alliance candidates, particularly Bharatiya Janata Party candidates.''

He made it clear that he was not seeking to contest from North Chennai on BJP ticket and added: ``I will not join any political party.''

Arriving at the residence of the BJP president, M. Venkaiah Naidu, Mr. Aruna made a carefully- worded, two-page statement before reporters. The thrust of his argument was that it would be a "shame for our nation'' and "insult to our patriotism'' if a "lady from Italy'' were to lead the country.

Mr. Aruna recalled that the Congress indicted the DMK for creating a situation in Tamil Nadu which led to the assassination of the former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi. His decision to campaign for the BJP and the NDA was "consistent'' with the "policy the DMK adopted and followed for four-and-a-half years" although now it changed its stance, severed its links with the NDA and the BJP, and joined the alliance led by the Congress.

"My submission is that no patriot, no self-respecting citizen, no right thinking people will accept to assign the office of Prime Minister to a foreign-born citizen... the NDA is magnanimous in honouring the rights of the minorities and sharing the high office with the minorities. Hence it paved the way for the election of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam as President of India... . Shall we surrender the office of Prime Minister to a foreign-born citizen'', Mr. Aruna said.

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