Fernandes rejects 'agreement' with BJP

Chennai, Apr 04 (UNI) Rejecting the 'agreement' between Janata Dal (United) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for allotting five seats to JD(U), its National President George Fernandes today said the party would contest 60 seats in the May 8 Assembly polls in Tamil Nadu.

Talking to newspersons after addressing a meeting convened by Yuva Janata Dal (United) here, Mr Fernandes, expressing no knowledge of the agreement said 'it has been signed without my knowledge'.

Asked if he would declare the agreement null and void, he said he would reach Delhi tonight and find out who had done all these things. Expressing displeasure over the development, he said he would release the list of 60 constituencies during this week. A BJP release here this morning said an agreement was signed by BJP State President C P Radhakrishnan and JD(U) State President K Rajasekaran, under which the JD(U) had been allotted Kurinjipadi, Sangagiri, Vedachanthur, Vaalparai and Manamadurai seats.

To a question, Mr Fernandes, virtually ruling out an alliance with the BJP, said the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was only at the Central level and in states, NDA constituents could go their own way.

Fissures appeared to have developed in the Tamil Nadu JD(U) as today's meeting was boycotted by JD(U) leaders and it was a show of strength by members of Tamil Nadu Nadar Peravai.

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