Date:16/10/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/10/16/stories/2007101658100100.htm

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Karunanidhi helped defuse crisis

R.K. Radhakrishnan

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said here on Monday that he had talked to several leaders of the Left parties to ensure that the United Progressive Alliance Government survived the political crisis over the nuclear deal with the United States.

“They only wanted that I bring about an amicable resolution of the issue without taking sides. They told me to do what is good for the country. I also wanted to do what was good for the country,” he told The Hindu when asked about the nature of the discussions at the height of the standoff. At no point did the Left parties ask him to support their viewpoint, he said.

Commenting about the situation when the Left was threatening to withdraw support, Mr. Karunanidhi said he wanted the Government to weather the crisis in the larger interest of the country. He was confident that the Government would not fall. This was the reason why he talked to the Left parties and why many of the leaders, including Prakash Karat and A.B. Baradan, met him in Chennai. West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee spoke to him over phone. Even in the meetings, the emphasis was on resolving the issue.

Mr. Karunanidhi said the UPA and the Left parties shared the commitment to ensure quicker betterment of the underprivileged sections. “My desire is that we concentrate on the development of the country and focus on solving issues faced by the people.”

He said the major task before the Government was to ensure equitable development of all sections of society.

Asked if the nuclear deal issue had been left behind, he said problems relating to it remained “on the sidelines.” The Government had realised that it had the massive duty to carry on with the unfinished development agenda in the remaining part of the term.

Asked if the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam had opposed the nuclear deal, Mr. Karunanidhi said that he had written to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. “The Left parties were also aware of the fact that I had written [to them].” The DMK’s view was that the Government should go slow on the deal if its survival was threatened.