Karunanidhi insists PM Manmohan Singh should not attend CHOGM

Chennai, Nov 8: As the Congress Core Group went into consultations to decide on the party's stand in the country participating in CHOGM, DMK supremo M Karunanidhi today stepped up pressure insisting that India should boycott the meet hosted by Colombo on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue.

Karunanidhi responding to queries by reporters here expressed hope that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would act as per his conscience.

"PM has conscience. (It will be) enough if he acts according to that," Karunanidhi said. To a question, he said since DMK has already quit the UPA led Ministry, the question of the party supporting the government did not arise.

"We have already quit the cabinet. Outside support is not the issue now," he said. DMK snapped its ties with UPA during this March over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue and withdrew its ministers from the Manmohan Singh ministry.

Political parties in the state, including AIADMK, DMK and BJP, were strongly opposed to India's participation in CHOGM being held from November 15, and the state Assembly has also adopted a resolution seeking complete boycott of the event.

Congress Core Group is meeting in Delhi to decide on the issue today.

PTI