Ramadoss tosses speculaton out of window: to stay with DMK

Chennai, Feb 21 (UNI) In what could be music to the ears of DMK President and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, PMK Founder S Ramadoss today said his party would continue to be part of the DMK-led DPA front in the next Parliamentary polls.

Despite being an acerbic critic of the DMK government on various issues that had soured DMK's relations with its key ally, Dr Ramadoss gave this assurance to the Chief Minister when he called on him at the latter's Gopalapuram residence to thank him on the Supreme court order upholding learning of Tamil in schools from Standard one to ten.

His assurance assumes significance amid PMK's talk of it being part of the ''Congress led alliance'' in the next Parliament polls and that he would lead from the front in the next Assembly polls in the state.

''We will be part of the DMK-led DPA 200 per cent for the next Lok Sabha polls'', he said after a nearly 45-minute long meeting with the Chief Minister, during which he discussed a host of issues.

''I came here to thank the Chief Minister'', he told waiting newspersons, adding that his visit was to keep up his promise to thank Mr Karunanidhi on the cut-out and hoarding issues.

Announcing that he would lead an anti-alcohol campaign from Tuiticorin to Chennai from February 26 to March one, Dr Ramadoss said he had offered some suggestions to the Chief Minister on implementing prohibition in the state in a phased manner.

''I have also given him a copy of Maharashtra government order on the issue,'' he added.

He said during the meeting he thanked the Chief Minister for the apex court verdict favouring Tamil as a compulsory subject in the state and had also urged the Chief Minister to make Tamil the medium of instruction in the state.

Considering the importance of agriculture, women's development and local bodies, Dr Ramadoss demanded presentation of separate budgets for these sectors in the next state budget.

Dr Ramadoss also said he thanked Mr Karunanidhi for his efforts to celebrate the first day of the Tamil month of 'Thai'' as the Tamil New Year.

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