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Karunanidhi sees political realignment after assembly polls

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief M Karunanidhi foresaw changes in the political scenario at the national level after next month's assembly elections in some states, but remained non-committal on the proposed third front extending support to a Congress led alternative government.

Addressing a post-cabinet press conference in Madras today, he said the change in the chief ministership at Delhi was a precursor to the changes in store at the national level after the assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi and Mizoram. He, however, declined to elaborate on the likely changes.

Indicating that the third front did not have any immediate agenda to topple the Vajpayee government and form an alternative government, Karunanidhi said the formation of the front was at the nascent stage and its strategy could be worked out only after a meeting of the leaders of the left parties, Tamil Maanila Congress and the DMK.

The All India Anna DMK and the Congress would not form part of the front, he said, adding that it was being formed mainly to provide an alternative to the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress which were the two major parties at the national level.

Karunanidhi refused to comment on the Congress's efforts to woo the AIADMK in its bid to form an alternative government.

Karunanidhi said the BJP-led government came to power at the Centre on the main plank of stability but right from the beginning it was dogged by instability with Jayalalitha, leader of its major ally, the AIADMK, withholding her letter of support to the President.

Making it clear that the third front would be minus the AIADMK and the Congress, Karunanidhi said it was too early to divulge details regarding the third front's strategy and the parties that would constitute the front.

Conceding that there had been some mistakes which led to the disintegration of the National and United Fronts, Karunanidhi said the third front would be formed not with the view of forming an alternative government but to make it a strong and stable alternative force in the future.

Karunanidhi said he was of the firm view that an elected government should be allowed to complete its full five-year term. But this did not mean that he wanted the BJP-led government to continue, as was being interpreted by the press.

Asked about Jayalalitha's statement that she was keeping her options open on the question of supporting the Congress and Sonia Gandhi welcoming it, the chief minister said it was a matter between the two parties and he would not like to comment.

"We are only thinking of the formation of the third front," he quipped.

Karunanidhi also refused to comment on Jayalalitha's action in calling on the newly appointed Chief Justice of India, Justice A S Anand, at his residence in New Delhi.

Asked about Pattali Makkal Katchi leader S Ramadoss's stand that his party would pull out of the Vajpayee government if Tamizhaga Rajiv Congress leader K Ramamurthy was divested of the petroleum portfolio, Karunanidhi said if one alliance partner had the right to demand change of portfolio, other partners in the front had the right to oppose it.

UNI

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