Haven't greeted political parties in K'taka: Dhinakaran

AMMK Deputy General Secretary TTV Dhinakaran today said he had not greeted leaders of the political parties who were likely to form the government in Karnataka, as the Cauvery water issue remained unresolved.

Democracy has won in the neighbouring state following the Supreme Court verdict over the floor test in the Assembly, the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam leader told reporters here.

He said he had not wished any political party on formation of the government in Karnataka due to the Cauvery issue and added whichever party comes to power, the rights of Tamils should be protected.

The Karnataka polls threw up a hung Assembly, with the BJP emerging as the single largest party, but eight short of majority. Governor Vajubhai Vala invited the BJP to form the government and B S Yeddyurappa was sworn in as chief minister.

The apex court ordered that he prove his majority on the floor of the House on May 19 but Yeddyurappa resigned without facing the trust vote.

Subsequently, the JDS-Congress combined staked claim and was invited to form the government following which JDS leader H D Kumaraswamy is set to take over as the chief minister on May 23.

Dhinakaran, here to visit his party workers, including a former MLA, who were arrested and lodged in the central jail, blamed State minister, S P Velumani for the attack on the workers, who were returning from a meeting in Vadavali.

Stones were hurled at nearly 200 workers who were returning in cars after a meeting in Vadavalli on May 17 and 56 workers were arrested for staging picketing seeking the arrest of the culprits, based on the complaint lodged by AIADMK workers, he alleged.

The party will fight the issue legally, he said.