[1]At the height of the Presidential poll campaign, DMK president M. Karunanidhi on Friday said he would not rule out realignment of political forces at the national level.
“It will be no surprise if that happens,” the former CM quipped when a scribe asked him whether there could be major political realignments in the prevailing circumstances in national politics.
The DMK announced it would hold a jail bharo agitation on July 4 in protest against the ruling AIADMK for using the arrest of party leaders under “imaginary charges” as diversionary tactics to draw the attention away from issues concerning people.
The decision to this effect was taken at an emergency meeting of the party executive committee chaired by Karunanidhi at Anna Arivalayam. “With issues affecting people such as prices, corruption, inter-state river water issues rising out of lack of cordial relations with neighbouring states and power cut, people have realised that the arrest of DMK leaders is being used as a diversionary tactic,” the resolution adopted at the meeting said.
The executive committee particularly took note of the detention of former minister and Salem strongman 75-year-old Veerapandi S. Arumugam under the stringent Goondas Act and said there was no consideration for even his age.
Later, speaking to reporters, Karunanidhi said his party would handle the situation legally and insisted that DMK leaders were facing police action out of political vendetta.
Asked about DMK’s two cabinet berths remaining vacant and when they would be filled, he said no views had been “exchanged” (with Congress.) He evaded a reply when asked if any of the experienced party MPs would be appointed finance minister following the resignation of incumbent Pranab Mukerjee, UPA’s presidential candidate.
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