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Decision will not affect DPA fortunes: DMK

By Our Staff Reporter

SALEM, APRIL 11. Actor Rajnikant's decision to vote for the National Democratic Alliance will not affect the fortunes of the Democratic Progressive Alliance in the Lok Sabha elections, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president, M. Karunanidhi, has said.

Reacting to a statement Mr. Rajnikant made in Chennai today, Mr. Karunanidhi, talking to reporters, said the statement was expected. Dismissing Mr. Rajnikant's claim that the Bharatiya Janata Party gave priority to linking rivers, he said it was the DMK which mooted the concept in 1969 when K. L. Rao was Union Irrigation Minister. "When I was Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Achuthamenon of Kerala and Veerendra Patil of Karnataka, we discussed the subject threadbare. It was not the BJP which mooted the idea." The DMK included the linking of Ganga and Cauvery project in its manifesto released at the party's south zone conference at Virudhunagar in February. "We mentioned the need for directing the west-flown rivers of Kerala towards east for irrigation and drinking water purposes".

Refuting the claims of the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, that he showed preference to Dayanidhi Maran, party's Central Chennai candidate and son of the former Union Minister, Murasoli Maran, Mr. Karunanidhi said he treated all candidates alike.

On the Tamil Nadu Government refusing to withdraw the Prevention of Terrorism Act case against the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader, Vaiko, and others, he said leaders who had faith in democracy welcomed the review committee decision, which found no prima facie case against them. "The DMK welcomed it but Ms. Jayalalithaa cannot welcome good things,'' he said

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