Karunanidhi to meet Sonia on June 5

Chennai, June 2 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President M Karunanidhi is likely to discuss with Congress President Sonia Gandhi the Congress' demand for share in power, when he visits Delhi on June four.

A day after celebrating his 83rd birthday, the DMK President would leave for Delhi on the evening of June four and meet Ms Gandhi the next day.

Though sources in DMK say that Mr Karunanidhi was unlikely to take up the issue with Ms Gandhi, stating that the Congress itself was not interested in seeking share in power, there was widespread expectations that the much-talked about issue could figure in the one to one meeting.

There is no specific agenda for the visit. It is more to make a courtesy call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Ms Gandhi, who had campaigned for the victory of the DMK led Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA), the sources said.

However, the Congressmen were anxious about Mr Karunanidhi's visit as they strongly believe that Ms Gandhi would take up the issue of power sharing with the DMK leader.

The Congress Legislature Party (CLP), which met here on May 24, had passed a resolution seeking share in power and urged Ms Gandhi to take up the issue with the DMK.

AICC Special invitee and in-charge of party affairs in the state Veerappa Moily, who chaired the CLP meeting, had said that the issue was still left open to be resolved by Ms Gandhi and Mr Karunanidhi.

Senior Congress leaders and Union Ministers P Chidambaram and E V K S Elangovan had also said that the party high command would take a decision on the issue.

Even some enthusiastic partymen came out with posters, expressing hope that the DMK would invite the Congress to join the Ministry.

Though a majority of partymen were of the view that the Congress should not miss the chance to share power, certain other sections in the party were lukewarm to the proposal.

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