DMK decision only after consulting allies

By Our Tamil Nadu Bureau

CHENNAI, JULY 26. The DMK president, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, today clarified that he would not take any decision on allowing the PMK into the DMK-led front in Tamil Nadu without consulting other allies including the Dalit Panthers of India.

Talking to reporters here, Mr. Karunanidhi said the DPI convener, Mr. R. Tirumavalavan, had not stated he would straight away quit the DMK-led front following the re-entry of the PMK into the NDA at the national level. ``He has only placed a few conditions, and we will not take any decision without consulting our allies including the DPI.''

The Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee, this morning spoke to him over telephone and briefed him about the PMK rejoining the NDA.

Mr. Tirumavalavan told reporters that he would call on Mr. Karunanidhi in a couple of days, seeking a clarification on the DMK stance on the re-entry of the PMK into the NDA.

The party central committee would meet on July 30. If necessary, the general council would also be convened in the next 15 days to finalise a strategy for dealing with the changed situation.

Describing the volte-face by the PMK in its relations with the NDA as ``not surprising'' in view of the ``opportunist'' politics practised by it, Mr. Tirumavalavan said there was no question of the Dalit Panthers allying with a PMK-inclusive front until and unless that party gave up its violence against Dalits.

Insisting that the DPI was not a main constituent of the NDA, but only an ally of the DMK which was a main constituent, he said the re-entry of the PMK into the NDA was by itself no cause of worry for his party. He already said he did not want to stand in the way of any move which would add strength to the NDA.

When it was pointed out that he might forfeit his membership of the Assembly (he contested on the DMK symbol) if he opposed the DMK on this issue, Mr. Tirumavalavan said he would give up his membership if it came in the way of his functioning freely as a representative of his people.

He said he had no regrets about having quit the AIADMK-led front before the election. His decision had the full support of his cadres and supporters.

The DPI leader denied that he was letting his political options be decided by the PMK. If he quit a front merely because the PMK joined it, this did not mean that he was allowing the PMK to decide his party's political options. The DPI, he said, was consistently opposing the PMK's caste politics.

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