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TMC will support Congress's bid to form government, says P Chidambaram

Tamil Maanila Congress and former Union minister P Chidambaram has said the TMC will extend support to the Congress if it formed an alternative government at the Centre.

Talking to newsmen Madurai last evening, he, however, clarified that the TMC would never join or merge with the Congress. There was no confusion among the TMC leaders in this regard, he added.

On All India Anna DMK general secretary J Jayalalitha's repeated threat to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition government at the Centre, Chidambaram said Jayalalitha would not withdraw support to the BJP but she would take some concessions. The present situation exposed the differences within the coalition partners, he added.

Referring to Prime Minister A B Vajpayee's Independence Day speech that he would not succumb to pressures for remaining in power, he hoped that Vajpayee would live up to his words in this regard.

On the Lankan issue, Chidambaram said there was no change in the TMC's stand for a united Sri Lanka.

Asked about the Srikrishna Commission report into the Bombay riots, he said though the Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra had rejected it, the people would reject the Sena in the next elections.

He lauded the judge for his impartial approach and urged the Union home ministry to go through the documents thoroughly.

Chidambaram hoped the TMC would form the government in Tamil Nadu by 2001 and provide a better administration. He, however, said the ruling DMK in the state was doing its best.

He said due to prevailing uncertain political conditions, foreign investors were hesitating to invest in the country. The present finance policy being pursued would affect the country's balance of payment position.

He said he was instrumental in increasing the foreign reserves from Rs 17 billion dollars to Rs 26 billion dollars and keeping the inflation at around four per cent.

UNI

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