Southern States - Tamil Nadu   

Don't nag DMK, Naidu tells partymen

By Our Staff Reporter

COIMBATORE March 13. The BJP national president, M. Venkaiah Naidu, today asked the State unit to avoid any confrontation with the DMK, in the wake of worsening ties.

In spite of some sharp criticism of the party made by its NDA partner at the Centre and in spite of its not having been invited for yesterday's meeting on "misuse" of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, Mr. Naidu asked the BJP men to focus on strengthening the party base in the State, instead of being on a collision course with the DMK.

Mr. Naidu told presspersons here that he had asked the BJP in Tamil Nadu to focus on the next Lok Sabha elections, expand the party base by then and "not to join issue with the DMK. And, I have advised them to avoid any confrontation as well".

However, he expressed the party desire for good relations with the DMK at the State level also. "Both parties can have good relations in Tamil Nadu also, as in New Delhi. Unfortunately, it is not happening, for whatever reason".

When it was pointed out that ample proof of the souring relations was evident in the BJP not having been invited to the "all-party meeting" on the POTA in Chennai, Mr. Naidu asked, "What do you mean by an all-party meeting? Just because a few parties got together, it cannot be called an all-party meet, especially when a main party is not invited".

When specific questions persisted, Mr. Naidu replied that differences between two parties were bound to be there, especially when ideologies differed. "We are together at the national level on the basis of a common agenda, arrived at before the elections and approved by the people". He hastened to add "however, I do not think there is any major trouble".

Asked what would be the fate of the NDA in Tamil Nadu, he only pointed to the statement made by the DMK president, M. Karunanidhi, that there was no NDA now in the State. But "the BJP and the DMK are not fighting each other, only that they are not working together".

Asked whether this would lead to an alliance with the AIADMK, Mr. Naidu said that "at present the DMK is in the NDA and we are extremely comfortable with that".

When the dual stand of the DMK, at the Centre and the State, was pointed out, Mr. Naidu said it was adopted by other parties also, as was evident the relations the Congress had with the Left.

On the persistent plea for freeing the MDMK general secretary, Vaiko (arrested under the POTA), Mr. Naidu wondered whether mere demands or protests alone would secure his release. "The matter is before court. As for the BJP, we are clear that the POTA is meant for terrorists and the organisations, which supported them. Our party does not consider Vaiko or his party in that category". In view of this experience (Vaiko's arrest), he said, the BJP also wanted safeguards against "misuse" and "misapplication".

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