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PMK accuses DMK of discrimination

CHENNAI: While accusing Chief Minister and DMK president M. Karunanidhi of discriminating against his party over distribution of Rajya Sabha seats, PMK founder S. Ramadoss said on Thursday that his party was still willing to negotiate with the DMK.

Addressing a press conference after an hour-long meeting of the party administrative committee in a city hotel, Dr. Ramadoss said he had not received any reply to his two letters sent through Pattali Makkal Katchi president G.K. Mani early this week to Mr. Karunanidhi. Nor were senior Ministers deputed to meet him to address his concerns, he said.

Last week, the PMK founder had made a request to the DMK leader seeking allotment of a Rajya Sabha seat. At that time, the latter had informed him of the meeting of the Democratic Progressive Alliance, which was to be held on Saturday [but was later cancelled]. On Mr. Karunanidhi’s contention that he had raised the demand only now, the PMK founder said he had wanted to take up the issue with the DMK leader only at “an appropriate time.”

He did not raise it when he called on the Chief Minister on February 21, as it was the first meeting after a long gap and was meant for reassuring the DMK of his party’s continued support.

Asked whether his party would talk to the DMK on the seat issue, Dr. Ramadoss quoted the portion of the resolution adopted by the committee, which had authorised him to take appropriate steps for carrying on talks with the DMK. The panel, while appealing to the DMK to prove that it had not discriminated against the PMK, granted full powers to Dr. Ramadoss for establishing the PMK’s right and safeguarding the party’s “self-respect.” Though the PMK founder would not meet Mr. Karunanidhi on the seat issue, his party president or the party panel would hold talks with the DMK. He said he had no objection to the Congress getting two seats and CPI (M) one.

He said three options were discussed at the meeting. While some members felt that the party should field a candidate in the Rajya Sabha elections, some others were for boycotting the poll. The third group was for a dialogue with the DMK.

To persistent queries what would be his decision, Dr. Ramadoss replied that he had time till March 15, the last date for filing nomination papers. “I will inform you even earlier,” he said, noting that restraint was required in politics. On whether the present issue would be used to oust the PMK from the DPA, the PMK founder replied that it was for the DMK leader to answer that question.

He recalled that in 2001, he was among the first to call on Mr. Karunanidhi at the Chennai Central Prison when the DMK president was arrested during the AIADMK regime, though the PMK was then part of the AIADMK-led front. He had refused to be a party to efforts at defending Mr. Karunanidhi’s arrest. Dr. Ramadoss added that in 1996 and in the 1998 Lok Sabha elections, his party was let down by the DMK over the seat distribution issue.

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