TN CM meets Sonia; Discusses Presidetial poll

New Delhi, May 28: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today met Congress President Sonia Gandhi and is understood to have discussed the Presidential election.

''I will come (to Delhi) again next week,'' was all that Mr Karunanidhi told reporters after the brief 15-minute meeting held at Ms Gandhi's residence at 10 Janpath.

Earlier, on his arrival at the airport, the DMK chief said his two-day visit to the capital was primarily to discuss the Presidential polls with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Ms Gandhi and other political leaders and attend the National Development Council (NDC) meeting to be held tomorrow.

CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat and Agriculture Minister and NCP chief Sharad Pawar separately called on Mr Karunanidhi at Tamil Nadu House, shortly after his arrival here.

Both Mr Pawar and Mr Karat said they discussed issues relating to the Presidential election with the Tamil Nadu leader. President A P J Abdul Kalam's tenure at Rashtrapati Bhavan ends on July 25.

While Mr Pawar said he did not want to share the details of the meeting with the media, Mr Karat said he conveyed his party's views on the Presidential polls to Mr Karunanidhi.

Replying to questions, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister told reporters at the airport that he would dicuss with Dr Singh the problems of the state, including Cauvery and Mullaperiyar.

He said he had already written to Dr Singh on these two issues.

To a question on the state government's proposal for giving reservation to Muslims, he said there was nothing wrong in it as Kerala and Karnataka already had similar provisions.

Mr Karunanidhi would call on the Prime Minister at 1900 hrs.

Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh is expected to meet him at 1500 hrs and CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan at 1800 hrs today.

UNI

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