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DMK to join Vajpayee govt

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today announced that the Dravida Munnetra Kazagham had decided to join the National Democratic Alliance government headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the members of Parliament of the DMK held in New Delhi today, Karunanidhi told the media.

Asserting that the DMK had not raised any demand on the number of ministers or preference of portfolios, the chief minister, however, said his party was confident that the ministry formation would be to its satisfaction as it had full faith in Vajpayee.

The DMK had submitted a list of its members in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha to the prime minister and it was his prerogative to decide on the composition of his ministry, Karunanidhi said.

However, Vajpayee might consult the DMK before finalising the names of ministers, he said.

Denying reports that his party had sought the finance portfolio, he said his party would demand finances for the state, not the ministry.

Reacting to a suggestion that such a demand would have been in the interest of the state, Karunanidhi said there was already a finance minister (Yashwant Sinha) and he had been re-elected to the Lok Sabha. ''We do not want to embarrass anyone.''

Describing as inappropriate a question on how long the NDA government would last, Karunanidhi said, ''You don't talk of divorce at the time of marriage.''

UNI

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