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`DMK dual stand on NDA alliance illogical'

By Our Staff Reporter

COIMBATORE Jan. 19. The DMK stand that there was no National Democratic Alliance in the State and that it existed only at the Centre was impractical, the Union Minister of State for Shipping, S. Thirunavukkarasar, said today.

Speaking to presspersons here, he maintained that "either it is an alliance at the Centre as well as in the State or there is no alliance at all". The DMK was a party only in Tamil Nadu. Therefore, it could not say that its ties with parties varied from State to State. The contention that the alliance existed only at the national level was devoid of logic.

"As far as the BJP is concerned, its ties with the DMK will exist at all levels as long as it is in the NDA and its Ministers are in the Union Cabinet." He attributed the estrangement between the parties to an exchange in the heat of the moment.

Mr. Thirunavukkarasar's comments came in the context of the BJP's move to seek the support of the DMK, besides other NDA partners, for the Sattankulam Assembly byelection. Even as the question of contesting awaits the BJP central election committee's decision, the State unit would begin efforts to enlist the support of its allies.

When it was pointed out that the DMK was sore over the BJP not supporting it in three byelections earlier, Mr. Thirunavukkarasar contended that the DMK had not asked for its support at all. "It is better to think of the future, when it comes to elections, than do a post-mortem. The DMK president, M. Karunanidhi, knows this well."

On reports of the BJP drawing closer to the AIADMK, he said, "We supported the State Government on the Prevention of Terrorism Act and are thankful to the AIADMK for its support in the Vice-Presidential election. But the DMK is still our ally."

Referring to the controversy over the construction of a weir on the Bhavani by Kerala, he said there was no second opinion on the need to stop the work.

`No threat to environment'

On the Sethusamudram project, Mr. Thirunavukkarasar said the work would be carried out without causing damage to marine life.

A report by the National Environmental Engineering and Research Institute was expected in April and the work would be executed in phases.

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