Karunanidhi sees plot to split DMK, TMC

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi alleged that there was a plot to drive a wedge between him and Tamil Maanila Congress president G K Moopanar.

Addressing mediapersons in Thiruvarur on Monday, Karunanidhi said some newspapers and political personalities were trying to create a rift between the DMK and the TMC but ``we will not fall into their trap''.

Asked about the future of the DMK-TMC alliance in the wake of increasing attacks against him by TMC partymen, he said the latter also printed posters and issued handbills against him.This was an emotional act by the TMC cadres, which he hoped would not lead to a break in the relations between the two parties.

Asked why the DMK had not joined the TMC in keeping out of the United Front government, Karunanidhi said the DMK joined the coalition in the interest of the people. Moreover, Moopanar "had not spoken to us before doing so", he added.

Asked about Moopanar's comment that his party would have considered the question of joining the ministry had Karunanidhi taken exception when the Marxists suspected the TMC leader's bonafides, the DMK leader said this was brought to his notice shortly before the UF steering committee meeting. West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu subsequently clarified that his party did not question Moopanar's political integrity, Karunanidhi said.

Asked why he had not staked his claim for the prime ministership, the DMK being a bigger party than the TMC in Tamil Nadu, Karunanidhi said, "I know my limitations."

Addressing a mammoth public meeting in Madras on Sunday night, Karunanidhi reiterated that the DMK first suggested the name of Moopanar when the issue of selecting a new United Front leader came up.

Karunanidhi clarified that the name of I K Gujral was given as the second choice, only if there was no consensus for the candidature of Moopanar.

After the Deve Gowda government lost the confidence vote, the main issue before the United Front was to ensure the continuity of the government as Congress president Sitaram Kesri had offered to extend support under new leadership.

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and United Front convener Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Monday denied that he had scuttled the chances of Moopanar becoming the prime minister.

Addressing mediapersons in Hyderabad, he said, "That is not correct. I did not take sides although there were differences over the choice of prime minister in the Front," he added.

Asked about Moopanar's reported remarks that the Congress should be invited to join the Gujral ministry, he said it was the TMC leader's "personal opinion". It was not possible to share power with Congress in view of the peculiar political situation in various states with some of the United Front constituents pitted against the Congress.