 Online edition of India's National Newspaper Saturday, Jun 21, 2008 ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Tamil Nadu |
 |
News:
ePaper |
Front Page |
National |
Tamil Nadu |
Andhra Pradesh |
Karnataka |
Kerala |
New Delhi |
Other States |
International |
Opinion |
Business |
Sport |
Miscellaneous |
Engagements |
Advts: Retail Plus | Classifieds | Jobs | Obituary |
Tamil Nadu
top brass: PMK founder S. Ramadoss with Union Minister for Health Anbumani Ramadoss at the party’s general council meeting in Chennai on Friday. Party president G.K. Mani is in the picture. — CHENNAI: The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) is not hankering after power, Anbumani Ramadoss, its youth wing president and Union Health Minister, said on Friday. Addressing an extraordinary general body meeting of the party here in the wake of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s decision to terminate ties with the PMK, Dr. Anbumani refuted the suggestion made in certain quarters that the PMK was keen on remaining in power. “As far as we are concerned, power is not a major factor.” Had the PMK founder [and his father] S. Ramadoss shown any inclination, he could have become a Union Cabinet Minister long ago. “I am only following in his footsteps,” he said. Recalling how the PMK founder had reluctantly agreed to nominate him to join the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre four years ago, Dr. Anbumani said, amid applause from party members: “For me, power is not permanent. What is lasting is your love and affection.” Referring to the PMK’s move to provide unconditional support to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam regime in May 2006, Dr. Anbumani said this had upset members of the Congress, who wanted to become Ministers in the State government. On the observation that the party was always on the side of the winning combination, he said the truth was that where the PMK was present, that political formation had won the elections. Noting that the party was ejected out of the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance, he said it was not its fault. “The loss is not ours, but theirs.” No one would believe that the decision was taken in the light of the Vanniyar Sangam president and PMK former Member of Legislative Assembly J. Guru’s speech. There were other reasons, he said, without elaborating. Wrapping up the proceedings, PMK founder S. Ramadoss said the DMK, which had won 96 seats in the elections, was running a single-party rule. “Can a single instance [in the last two years] be cited to show the existence of the alliance? Where is the alliance? At what level is the alliance? Is it one-way traffic?” he asked. Alluding to Chief Minister and DMK president M. Karunanidhi’s statement that he was fond of Dr. Anbumani, the PMK founder wondered why he did not make a single statement in support of the Union Minister during the controversies over the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). Reiterating that his party had been functioning as a responsible, honest and different political party, Dr. Ramadoss said the party had been performing the role of a constructive Opposition party. It was always working for the welfare of depressed classes, Scheduled Castes, minorities and backward classes. It would continue to do so. “No one can succeed in wiping out the party. Only disappointment will be in store for them.” He said even now, PMK members would not tolerate even if “dust” fell on the Chief Minister, who was a seasoned political leader. Later, in a chat with reporters, the PMK founder said his party would remain in the UPA and strengthen the hands of the Congress president Sonia Gandhi. There was no change in his party’s decision of facing the Lok Sabha elections as a constituent of the UPA. The PMK’s six-page resolution, adopted during the four-hour-long meeting, rejected the DMK’s charge that the party had indulged in only finding faults with the DMK government. “This had a political motive,” it said. On the DMK’s contention that the PMK had aimed at garnering cheap publicity, the party said, “None of the arguments and issues highlighted by the PMK in the last two years can be branded cheap.” In this context, the resolution referred to its stand on issues such as acquisition of farm lands for special economic zones, commercialisation of education, illicit sand quarrying, adverse effects of the entry of large players in retail trade and the need for reducing cement prices. Another resolution expressed the party’s support for the UPA government on the nuclear deal, and urged the PMK founder to take steps for ensuring the successful conclusion of efforts in resolving differences between the government and the Left parties.
Printer friendly
page
News:
ePaper |
Front Page |
National |
Tamil Nadu |
Andhra Pradesh |
Karnataka |
Kerala |
New Delhi |
Other States |
International |
Opinion |
Business |
Sport |
Miscellaneous |
Engagements |
|
|
|
The Hindu Group: Home | About Us | Copyright | Archives | Contacts | Subscription Group Sites: The Hindu | The Hindu ePaper | Business Line | Business Line ePaper | Sportstar | Frontline | Publications | eBooks | Images | Home |
Copyright © 2008, The
Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of
this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of
The Hindu
|