DMK sets precondition for alliance

In his concluding address at the 10 State conference of the DMK, party chief M. Karunanidhi was silent on whether more political parties would join the party-led alliance.

Virtually launching the campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, DMK president M. Karunanidhi on Sunday made it clear that political parties committed to implementing the Sethusamudram project, preventing the emergence of communal forces and protecting social justice alone could be part of the DMK alliance.

In his concluding address at the 10 State conference of the DMK, he was silent on whether more political parties would join the progressive alliance led by the DMK. All he said was that political parties ready to accept his preconditions could enter the alliance, which he claimed, would win the Lok Sabha polls and enrich democracy in India.

Even as expectations were high that the conference would indicate the possibility of a rapprochement with the Congress or Vijayakant’s DMDK joining its alliance, the DMK patriarch did not touch upon the issue.

Amidst applause , the 89-year-old Karunanidhi said the DMK had already entered into an alliance with a few political parties such as Viduthalai Chiruthikal Katchi (VCK), Puthiya Tamizhagam, Manithaneya Makkal Katchi and Indian Union Muslim League.

The leaders of the parties were present at the conference.

“The question before us is whether the AIADMK government should be allowed to continue in power, as it has been undoing all the good schemes announced by the DMK government,” Mr. Karunanidhi said.

Accusing the AIADMK of adopting double standard in the Sethusamudram Project case, he said the people of Tamil Nadu brought upon themselves a great disappointment by voting for the AIADMK in the name of regime change in the State.

The AIADMK has been indicted by the High Court and the Supreme Court in cases pertaining to Equitable System of Education and the plan to shift the Anna Centenary Library to the DPI complex.

While the DMK remained a true inheritor of Dravidian values, late Chief Minsiter M.G.R. diluted it by launching the AIADMK.

“The party today remains a complete anti-thesis to all that the DMK stood for,” he said.

Rs. 1.01 crore collected

Mr. Karunanidhi said the conference had contributed to the party fund a total of Rs 1.01 crore after meeting all the conference expenses. He heaped praise on Mr. K. N. Nehru for organising such a huge conference.