Cong, DMK should travel on same road: MK

Chennai, Aug 20: With some of the allies like the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and Left parties, taking a confrontationist stand, Tamil Nadu Chief Minsiter and DMK President M Karunanidhi today turned towards the Congress and suggested that the two parties ''should travel on the same road.'' The ruling DMK, which had no absolute majority to run the government, and seeking to consolidate its ties with the Congress was evident as Mr Karunanidhi readily accepted an invitation from the Congress to make his maiden visit to ''Sathyamurthy Bhavan,'' the TNCC headquarters, to celebrate the birth anniversary of the former Prime Minister late Rajiv Gandhi.

Mr Karunanidhi, whose DMK, leading the Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA) in Tamil Nadu, is facing constant irritants from both the PMK and the Left parties in the last few months on various issues.

In this backdrop, Mr Karunanidhi's visit to the state Congress headquarters, for the first time in his political career, spanning more than six decades, assumed considerable political significance.

Speaking at the function, the DMK Chief readily conceded a plea by TNCC President M Krishnasamy that the Old Mahapalipuram Road (OMR), along which, the IT corridor is coming up, be named as ''Rajiv Gandhi Road.'' After announcing that the OMR would henceforth be called as Rajiv Gandhi Road, amid loud cheers, Mr Karunanidhi took the occasion to emphasise that ''both of us (DMK and Congress) should travel on the same road and take a vow not to part ways.''

Recalling his association with the Congress, Mr Karunanidhi said he was very happy to visit TNCC headquarters, named after late Chief Minister K Kamaraj's mentor, Sathyamurthy. He, however, sought to play down the significance attached to his visit to the Congress office, saying though the media tried to create a hype about the visit as if it was a ''man's mission to the Moon,'' there was nothing surprising in it.

Apart from politics, he had a personal association with the Congress leaders like late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, her son Sanjay Gandhi and at a later stage, Rajiv Gandhi.

Paying rich tributes to Rajiv Gandhi, Mr Karunanidhi, pointed out that the late leader had a great vision for the country, and the blood split by Mr Gandhi on the soil of Tamil Nadu would go a long way in fostering communal harmony and social unity.

Mr Krishnasamy, speaking on the occasion, said the DMK Chief has honoured the Congress leaders, by visiting the TNCC headquarters.

He said when the Congress party faced a crisis in 1980 ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, it was Mr Karunanidhi, who extended a helping hand to Mrs Gandhi, by inviting her to provide a stable government at the Centre.

Even now, there was a conspriacy to topple the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre, but he was sure that the DMK leader would protect the government.

UNI