The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) joining the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) after the Lok Sabha polls can’t be completely ruled out, according to P. Chidambaram, Union Finance Minister.
Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Mr. Chidambaram said, “I can’t say that the DMK will join the BJP-led alliance. At the same time, I don’t rule out that possibility completely.”
He was responding to a question whether the DMK would join the NDA if it got a chance to form the government.
Mr. Chidambaram said the Congress would work with secular parties and make efforts to form a secular government at the Centre if the party got a mandate in the elections.
Describing the AIADMK as the B-team of BJP, he said Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had no clue to what a monetary policy was and her criticism about economic policies and weak economy should not be taken seriously.
Votebank politics
He said BJP was playing vote bank politics with the goal of polarising the voters. Mr. Chidambaram dismissed the BJP manifesto as nothing but a copy of Congress party ideas.
“It is not even a cut and paste exercise. The BJP has indulged in unabashed and unashamed copying of our ideas and schemes, but I am not claiming any copyright.”
To a query on why the Ram temple agenda was back in the BJP manifesto, he said, “Only the RSS determines and decides. To satisfy the RSS, Ram temple construction was included in the manifesto.” He questioned the BJP’s stand on reservation in education and employment.
Stating that the manifesto had no agenda for revival of the economy, Mr. Chidambaram said he did not find a single outstanding statement, policy or intent.
