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PMK to support DPA candidates

Jayanthi Natarajan

CHENNAI: The Pattali Makkal Katchi on Thursday announced its support for the candidates of the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance for the Rajya Sabha elections.

The PMK, which had asked a seat for itself, took the decision after a two-member team of the Congress held discussions with the party founder S. Ramadoss in the evening. Congress Legislature Party leader D. Sudarsanam, who along with the party whip Peter Alphonse met the PMK leader, told The Hindu that they had appealed to him not to precipitate the issue.

While announcing its support for the DPA candidates, the PMK expressed its regret at being denied a seat. “The explanation given by the DMK president and Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi that the PMK’s turn would come only in 2010 is not satisfactory,” the party’s administrative committee said in a resolution. The PMK, the committee said, found itself difficult not to heed the appeals of the allied parties. In this context, the party noted that senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel had spoken to the party leadership several times. The CPI(M) too had sought support for its candidate.

In New Delhi, the Congress initially included only Union Minister of State for Statistics and Programme Implementation G.K. Vasan in the list of candidates.

After the PMK’s declaration of support, party spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan was included.

G.K. Vasan

Earlier, the MDMK, an ally of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, declined to contest the election but put on record its gratitude to the AIADMK. The AIADMK is yet to announce if it would field a second candidate.

There are six seats to be filled from the State in this round of the biennial elections to the Upper House.

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