DPI criticises AIADMK for quitting DPA

Chennai, Sep 28 (UNI) A day after walking out from the AIADMK-led alliance, Dalit Panthers of India (DPI) General Secretary Thol Thirumavalavan today accused the AIADMK of forcing his party to leave the AIADMK-led Democratic People's Alliance (DPA).

Talking to newspersons at his party office here he said, the AIADMK, after insulting, forced the DPI to quit the allinace with an intention to make them political orphans.

He alleged that the AIADMK high command had insulted and humiliated him during the seat sharing talks for the local body elections. When he expected things to improve, he learnt that the AIADMK had directed its district units to field candiates in the seats allotted to the DPI.

The AIADMK tried to make us political orphans, but the DMK President M Karunanidhi was gracious enough to welcome us and take back in the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Allinace, he said.

The question of DPI resigning from the MLA seats it had won in alliance with the AIADMK in the May last assembly elections did not arise as the DPI had won the seats after contesting on independent symbols, he added.

He had resigned his MLA seat after quitting the DMK-led front prior to the 2004 Lok Sabha elections as he had won the seat on contesting on DMK's Rising Sun symbol, Mr Thirumavalavan clarified.

The AIADMK had no moral right to demand the resignation of MLA seats, he said.

The DPI leader make a point that the DMK-led DPA should win the local body elections as it would help the DMK Government to continue to implement the people welfare programmes without any hindrance.

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