ELECTIONS '98
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ARCHIVES

Karunanidhi promises third front in November

The third front will take concrete shape in November, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M Karunanidhi has said.

He was talking to newsmen in Madras after his meeting with Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet, and leaders Bardhan and D Raja.

Surjeet, the CM said, briefed him about the CPI-M's talks with several national leaders, including Tamil Maanila Congress president G K Moopanar.

Asked if Tamil Nadu Congress president Tindivanam Ramamurthy's statement demanding the DMK government's dismissal was to establish a tie-up with the All India Anna DMK, he said: "I do not know anything about it."

Karunanidhi denied that Tamil Nadu had been cheated on the Cauvery water issue as alleged by Marumalarchi DMK general secretary Vaiko. The recent accord has reinforced the Water Disputes Tribunal's interim award, he said.

The tribunal had turned down Karnataka's contention that the release of water should be measured at the Billigundulu gauging station. It clarified that Karnataka should ensure the release of 205 tmc ft water in a regulated manner at the Mettur reservoir. Tamil Nadu was firm on its stand and there could be no violation of the tribunal's ruling, the DMK leader said.

Referring to the guru pooja celebartions for Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar, Karunanidhi said some state ministers would attend the function. Thevar was a freedom fighter and did not belong to any particular community.

On setting up a second international airport in Madras, the chief minister said Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has assured him the project would be cleared if private initiative was available and urged him to try for it.

UNI

Tell us what you think of this report