DMK snubs Congress on power sharing plan
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Feb. 21: While the Congress is trying to force its ‘Delhi formula’ for a coalition and common minimum programme (CMP) in Tamil Nadu, the DMK is sticking to its stand of single party rule. In a point blank rebuttal to the senior Congress leaders — Mr P. Chidambaram and Mr K.V. Thangkabalu — the DMK reminded there was no CMP or core committee to monitor its implementation in the UPA-II. The DMK leader, Mr T.R. Baalu, shot down the demand saying, “There is no common minimum programme in the UPA-II… so is a case of core committee.”
With such a serious gap, the core agenda of finalising the number of seats did not find prominence in the negotiations on Sunday. But the Congress negotiators underscored the point that the DMK must share power with the Congress when it enjoys the same in Delhi.
The Chief minister, Mr M. Karunanidhi, upset with the national party’s “unprecedented demand”, will be conveying his message through Mr Baalu to the Congress president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi.
“It’s appropriate to discuss only after the elections, when the need arises. Also we need to discuss the issue first within our party forums, then with other allies, the PMK, VCK and the IUML. We cannot take a decision in consultation with one partner alone,” said a senior DMK leader.
The culture of coalition is a strange phenomenon in TN, where Dravidian parties forge mega alliances but not yield to the coalition demand. “Nobody can think that our position has weakened and, hence, we can be bullied. There is no logic in the argument that their party has grown and our vote share has dwindled,” remarked a senior minister.
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