PMK?mum, BJP hopeful on ties
PMK maintains a conspicuous silence on its talks with BJP for an alliance for the LS polls.
Chennai: PMK’s general council meet on Thursday maintained a conspicuous silence on its talks with BJP for an alliance for the Lok Sabha polls this year and released its third list of three candidates for the election.
However, this did not surprise the saffron party here which claims it is optimistic of clinching the deal with the Vanniyar dominated party.
PMK has so far announced candidates for 10 constituencies including Krishnagiri, Arani, Villupuram and Puducherry. Former Union minister Anbumani Ramadoss is expected to contest from Dharmapuri.
The general council was expected to deliberate and announce its prospective tie-up with the BJP. However, all those who spoke in the meeting did not utter word about BJP.
A senior PMK leader said that they announced the candidates for three more seats, as the BJP did not respond to its demand that they be allotted seats of their choice.
“We wanted BJP to give a commitment on allotting seats of our choice. Besides, we also expressed our reservation on Vijayakanth-led DMDK joining the alliance,” the leader said, adding that on both the issues, the BJP had not clarified its stand.
“PMK is proceeding on its own. But this does not mean everything is over… We are optimistic that PMK and other two parties will join us,” says L. Ganesan, BJP national executive member.
Already two rounds of parleys have been held at the preliminary level and Vaiko’s MDMK had announced its stand, he said and added that PMK and DMDK will be won over.
“There is still time (for poll alliance). Every party has its own system of functioning. Things will take shape after Thai 1 (Pongal day),” Ganesan said.
“They (PMK) have made it clear that it does not want to align with DMK or AIADMK. We can infer from this,” says Vanathi Srinivasan, state BJP secretary.
Guru dares government to arrest him once again
Chennai: PMK leader and MLA Kaduvetti J. Guru on Thursday dared the government to arrest him again as he would continue to criticise it.
Addressing the party’s general council meeting here, Guru, released from prison recently after Madras high court quashed his detention under NSA, said he would continue to criticise the state government as he was prepared to spend the rest of AIADMK’s tenure in prison.
The Vanniyar Sangam leader alleged that the AIADMK government cracked on his party leaders and cadres after Dr S. Ramadoss came out with a slogan “We want to live and we want to rule”. He blamed the state police for Marakkanam violence as they failed to provide adequate security.
The general council meeting adopted 16 resolutions. One of resolutions condemned the state government for deteriorating law and order situation and power cuts.
Party founder Dr S. Ramadoss asserted that only his party-led alliance could provide alternative to Dravidian parties, which had been in power for the last 47 years.
He appealed to the people to elect at least 10 candidates put up by his party for the state’s development. Youth wing chief Dr Anbumani Ramadoss said there was nothing wrong in caste politics.