High-level action committee to decide on Central berth: Karuna

Indicating that the stand off between the Congress and the DMK over the number of cabinet berths could end soon, DMK Chief M Karunanidhi today said the Prime Minister's remarks on the issue of induction of two ministers from his party has cleared the air.

Indicating that the stand off between the Congress and the DMK over the number of cabinet berths could end soon, DMK Chief M Karunanidhi today said the Prime Minister's remarks on the issue of induction of two ministers from his party has cleared the air.

HT Image

Responding to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's invitation to the DMK to participate in the Ministry, Karunanidhi, in a three line statement, thanked the Prime Minister and said, "Our high level action committee will soon take a decision.

"We thank Manmohan Singh's clarification on the DMK Ministers in his previous cabinet T R Baalu and A Raja, who had been the target of some Delhi-based satellite television channels," he said. He said the Prime Minister's statement had cleared the air on two DMK Central Ministers.

The Prime Minister had yesterday described Baalu and Raja as "our honoured colleagues".

"There is no question about having any reservation," he had told reporters at the swearing-in ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan on being asked about the two DMK leaders.

Singh had also hoped that DMK, which had announced that it was supporting the government from outside, will "see reason" and reconsider its decision.