Suddenly, DMK chief goes soft on Congress

“We have not handed them a certificate”, Karunanidhi shot back, reacting to Prime Minister AB Vajpayee’s remark that the BJP needed no certificate from anybody on its secularcredentials.

He went on to add that the DMK Government was maintaining cordial relations with the BJP Government at the Centre on the administrative front. “On the Cauvery issue, we co-operated with the Centre”. However, it is not a relationship based on policies or principles, he clarified.

As for secular credentials of the Congress, he said even though the Congress government had not prevented the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, it could not be considered a communal party. “The party has failed to protect secularism at times… But Congress cannot be called communal”.Announcing that the DMK and Left parties, CPI and CPM, would meet under the umbrella of a third front in Delhi in mid-October (after CPM’s congress) to discuss the future course of the Front, Karunanidhi said that inclusion of other regional parties including Rashtriya Janata Dal in the Frontwould be decided later.

Asked if the Tamil Maanila Congress was part of the Front, Karunanidhi in his wonted style quipped: “Can’tsay whether TMC is not in the Front”. Significantly, he also said that it had not yet been decided whether the third front was an alternative to the Congress or the BJP. Bardhan, who was present, chipped in, “First let us meet and decide”. Asked about his reported anger over the Left unilaterally announcing its support to a possible Congress-led alternative at the Centre, he said the problem had been resolved after his meeting with CPM leader Harkishen Singh Surjeet last week. Karunanidhi said that the idea of a third front was first broached by Surjeet at the meeting. On whether the DMK would oppose the dismissal of the Rabri Devi Government in Bihar, Karunanidhi said the party would oppose the use of Article 356 against any State Government.

Realising the BJP’s reluctance to abandon the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and disown the Ram temple activity, the DMK is not ready to lose the bird in hand, rather than hope for two in the bush.