DMK to finalise Prez candidate support soon: CM

Chennai, May 22: The ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu would finalise its support to the Presidential candidate in a couple of days, Chief Minister and DMK president M Karunanidhi said.

Talking to newspersons here after a meeting convened to discuss about the airport expansion project, Mr Karunanidhi said he would leave for New Delhi in two days and discuss about the party's support in respect of Presidential candidate with the Congress.

Asked about the reports in a section of the media that the Congress had offerred the Vice-President's post to the DMK, Mr Karunanidhi said ''There was no such bargain.'' To another report that the DMK was planning to field party general secretary ''Perasiriar (Prof K Anbazhagan)'' for the post of Vice-President, he said the Vice-President to be appopinted could be a Perasiriar (Professor).

Mr Karunanidhi also evaded a direct reply when asked whether the party was proposing to nominate his poetess daughter Kanimozhi for the Upper House in the June 15 Rajya Sabha biennial election from Tamil Nadu Assembly.

He said the party high-level committee would decide the candidates for the Rajya Sabha polls.

Answering a question, Mr Karunanidhi made it clear that the DMK would field only four candidates and leave the remaining two to the opposition. This would avert an unneccessary contest and frustration. Hope this would be acceptable to the AIADMK, he said.

On AIADMK leader Jayalalitha's demand for a neutral Returning Officer in place of Assembly Secretary M Selvaraj, Mr Karunanidhi said there is no need for this as there would not be any contest.

UNI