Secular party first choice for LS poll: Karuna

Chennai : The DMK party would align with a secular party having the nation’s interest in mind in the next Lok Sabha elections, party president M. Karunanidhi said on Friday.

Speaking to reporters here after chairing the party’s general council meeting, Karunanidhi said: “The Lok Sabha elections are far away. The party will align with only secular parties having national interest.”

Refusing to comment on the Supreme Court’s order on the issue of probing union Home Minister P. Chidambaram’s role in the allotment of second generation (2G) spectrum licences to telecom companies, Karunanidhi strongly disagreed with union Communications Minister Kapil Sibal’s statement Thursday that DMK’s A. Raja was responsible for the spectrum trouble.

Strongly disagreeing with the comments of union Communications Minister Kapil Sibal on the procedure adopted for allotment of 2G spectrum, Karunanidhi said what former telecom minister A. Raja followed was the policy laid down in 2003.

Sibal had Friday sought to shift blame on Raja, who is currently in Tihar Jail, for alleged irregularities in the manner in which the policy was implemented, saying the Supreme Court clearly stated that Raja did not heed to the “good advice of both the PM and the finance ministry”.

Karunanidhi also denied any discussion on the changes in the party leadership structure at the meeting, and said the issue will be decided at the party elections.

However, party officials said at the general council the succession issue did crop up with a senior leader questioning the moves of some partymen to become the leader when Karunanidhi is still around.

This triggered off slogan shouting by supporters of M.K. Stalin, son of Karunanidhi. Stalin and his elder brother M.K. Alagiri are eyeing to succeed Karunanidhi in the party.

Queried about his retirement plans, Karunanidhi said even his wives are in favour of him stepping down but he was not able to quit.

On the party’s candidate for the ensuing by-election in the Sankarankoil seat, he said the party would announce its candidate once the election date is announced.