No possibility of PMK joining DMK-led front, says Karuna

Chennai, Feb 1 (PTI) DMK president M Karunanidhitonight said there was no possibility of PMK joining theDMK-led front for the coming Assembly polls in Tamil Nadu.

"There is no question on this after PMK founder SRamadoss had denied my statement made at Delhi that PMK wouldbe part of our alliance," he told reporters here afterarriving from New Delhi.

He said he made the remarks on his assumption that PMKwanted an alliance with the DMK. His statement was based onthe talks between various leaders of both the parties,Karunanidhi said.

Asked why Ramadoss had refuted his statement,Karunanidhi shot back, "Go and ask this question to him."

Shortly after Karunanidhi''s announcement on thealliance, Ramadoss said that his party has not yet taken anydecision on the issue.

Karunanidhi said during his visit to New Delhi, he hadtalks with Sonia Gandhi on the alliance between Congress andDMK.

The alliance was firmed up during the talks and boththe parties would appoint committees to discuss seat sharingand constituencies, he said, adding, "This combine has alreadydecided to fight the elections from the same platform."

The DMK chief denied reports that Congress had made apitch for power-sharing during discussions with the nationalparty''s leadership in Delhi in case the DMK-Congress combinewon the Assembly elections scheduled in May.

Forged in 2004, the DMK-Congress alliance has foughttogether and won the 2004 and 2009 Lok Sabha polls as well asthe 2006 Assembly elections.

On the issue of Tamil Nadu fishermen allegedly beingrepeatedly attacked by the Sri Lankan Navy, Karunanidhi saidhe had discussed the matter in detail during the chiefministers'' conference on internal security earlier today andalso taken it up with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh duringtheir meeting yesterday.

Karunanidhi said External Affairs Minister S M Krishnaand Foreign Secretary Nirapama Rao had called on him in Delhitoday, where Rao had apprised him of her visit to Colombo todiscuss the fishermen attack.

Asked if retrieval of Katchatheevu, an islet ceded toSri Lanka, would solve the vexed issue of Tamil Nadu fishermenallegedly being attacked by the Lankan Navy, he said it is aquestion of debate.