DMK, PMK snap ties; Cong not worried

Ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday severed its ties with PMK, a key outside ally.

A decision was taken at a high-level committee meeting of the DMK presided over by party president and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi in Chennai on Tuesday evening. Karunanidhi later told reporters that he would not press the UPA to remove the PMK from the alliance at the Centre.

Reacting to the developments in Chennai, Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said: “Naturally these are internal matters of other parties. The Congress would exhort all like-minded formations to stay united and not to allow others to take advantage of divisiveness.’’

Privately Congress leaders believe the DMK-PMK split is unlikely to have any repercussions on the UPA at the Centre. “Both parties are okay with us,’’ said a leader.

In a lengthy resolution passed at the Chennai meeting, the DMK alleged that PMK founder Dr S. Ramadoss was attempting to get ‘cheap political publicity’ by criticising every decision of the DMK government which was against ‘alliance dharma’.

Explaining the reasons for snapping ties, Karunanidhi referred to threats made by PMK leader J. Guru against DMK leaders and said he heard the CD containing the ‘inflamatory speech’ of Guru for the first time only on June 13.

The resolution said Dr Ramadoss had neither denied Guru’s speech and nor expressed regret for it. The Chief Minister, acting on the ‘false information’ of Ramadoss, had transferred DIG, Tiruchirapalli, the resolution said.

“Despite this, Dr Ramadoss did not take action against Guru. Instead, Ramadoss’ interviews to media ‘sounded like the background music’ for Guru’s remarks. His remarks were not aimed at solving the problems between the DMK and PMK’, the resolution said.

The DMK had so far tolerated all the criticisms by the PMK only with an aim that any action would provide ammunition for the ‘enemies’.