The Hindu : Karunanidhi disbands NDA in State

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 25, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Karunanidhi disbands NDA in State

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, March 24. Upset over the State BJP's ``open support'' for the AIADMK Government, the DMK president and NDA State convenor, M. Karunanidhi, today disbanded the NDA in Tamil Nadu saying there was ``no meaning'' in its continuance. Speaking to reporters after the party general council meeting, Mr. Karunanidhi said the decision to do away with the State-level NDA was ``forced on us by the BJP.'' However, he hastened to add that the relationship with the BJP at the national level would remain. This ``dual role'' was sometimes necessary.

Asked if the State-level arrangement had collapsed, he said there was no need to use such words. ``It is upto them (the BJP)'' to revive the NDA for the Assembly byelections. Henceforth, the DMK would only reciprocate in equal measure the ``friendship'' shown by the BJP.

Explaining the reasons for his disenchantment with the State leaders of the BJP, he said they openly supported the AIADMK both in the Assembly and outside. Besides, they criticised the DMK even on trivial and imaginary issues. Some BJP leaders had issued statements against the DMK without even ascertaining the facts in many cases.

Citing an instance, he said his comments on the applying of ash across the forehead were misconstrued, and, without even checking with him or his party, a BJP leader criticised the DMK. The State-level BJP leaders seemed to have taken upon themselves the task of protecting Hindu traditions.

To a specific question, he said the DMK would not take up the issue with the Central BJP leadership. Asked if he would sort out the problem at the State level since he was the convenor, Mr. Karunanidhi denied that he led the NDA here. ``I am only one of the NDA leaders,'' he said. (The State NDA included, besides the BJP and the DMK, the PMK. The MDMK, a part of the national NDA, was not in the State set-up.)

Earlier in the general council, in a clear message to the BJP, the DMK said it would not ``give up or pawn'' its basic principles just to remain in the BJP-led coalition. ``From the time we joined the NDA, we have not compromised on our basic principles,'' Mr. Karunanidhi said and added that the DMK was instrumental in drawing up the national agenda of governance.

That was the reason why the DMK had given vent to its feelings despite being part of the BJP-led coalition at the Centre, the party's general council said.

The NDA's national agenda, which incorporated the hopes and aspirations of all sections, should be implemented without any laxity, it added.

In a resolution, the party said there was nothing wrong in conveying openly the party's viewpoints and anxieties on issues. In keeping with its recent unsparing criticism of the Sangh Parivar outfits, the party said the news of the Viswa Hindu Parishad's `asthi yatra' came like ``a bolt from the blue.'' But, the party was lavish in its praise of the Prime Minister, A. B. Vajpayee, for his ``firm handling'' of the situation.

The recent acts of the VHP and the Bangalore resolution of the RSS, made partners in the NDA, including the DMK, to apprehend if the recent violence, which was contained by the firm steps of the Prime Minister, would raise its head again in some other parts of the country and engulf the entire nation, the general council said.

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