The Hindu : New Delhi News : DMDK will seek written agreement before forging alliance: Vijayakant

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Wednesday, May 07, 2008
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DMDK will seek written agreement before forging alliance: Vijayakant

J. Venkatesan

“We will extend support to whichever party that comes to power at the Centre”

— Photo: V. Sudershan

Setting terms: DMDK leader Vijayakanth addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Tuesday.

New Delhi: The Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam will forge an alliance with a like-minded party only if it is ready to give a written understanding in the nature of a common minimum programme that it will strive to solve the problems of the people of Tamil Nadu, said Vijayakanth leader of the party here on Wednesday.

Talking to presspersons, he said “our alliance will be programme based and not based on getting a few seats or for the sake of getting ministership. We will extend our assistance and support to whichever party that comes to power at the Centre if we are convinced that it will give good governance and take interest in solving the problems of the people of Tamil Nadu.”

He pointed out that issues like the Cauvery, Mullaperiyar and Hogenakkal river disputes were pending for a long time without any solution and no party seemed to have evinced interest in solving them. He said “the DMDK will come out with a solution for all these disputes if it can share power at the Centre.” Asked about the purpose of his visit to the capital, he made it clear that he came here only for opening a branch office for the party and not to seek alliance with any political party. He had met some leaders for the sake of courtesy and not for alliance.

To support Hindi

He said the government should initiate a dialogue between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government to solve the ethnic problem. He said his party would support Hindi if it captured power in Tamil Nadu. He said “our language policy is clear. We are not against any language. We want to give equal opportunity for learning other languages.”

Later he met Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and thanked her for the steps taken by her government to shift the statue of saint Thiruvalluvar in R.K. Puram to the Tamil Sangam premises.

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