Cong-DMK pact: Both 'ruled and ruined' country together, says Venkaiah

Congratulating the Congress and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) for entering into a pre-poll alliance in Tamil Nadu, the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) on Saturday said both of them together "ruled and ruined" the country, as they were together in the UPA and now it's going to be "UPA-Tamil Nadu".

"Best of luck! I don't think it would have any impact on Tamil Nadu's politics. The Congress and the DMK are coming together is quite but natural. Both of them together ruled and ruined the country. They were together in the UPA, now it's going to be 'UPA Tamil Nadu', said M. Venkaiah Naidu, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation.

Naidu, however, said both the parties are having same problems. "You know what has happened to the DMK and what has happened to the Congress Party; unless they realise that, mere coming together is not going to help them at all," he added.

Earlier today, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad formally announced that his party would contest the assembly polls in alliance with the DMK.

"It was a courtesy call. We have decided to fight the elections together. We will have an alliance. Karunanidhi ji is an esteemed leader. Our goal is to put in place a government led by the DMK," Azad told media here.

"I am more than sure that we will form a government under the leadership of DMK Party. DMK, Congress and other allies will be a very formidable combination to defeat other political parties," he added.

Welcoming the alliance, DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin said, "Congress has promised full cooperation. Karunanidhi has already given an invitation to DMDK. We are hopeful of a positive response.