Karunanidhi lashes out at AIADMK for criticising him

Jayalalithaa was the reason for the dissolution of Vajpayee govt in 1999, says Karunanidhi

Hitting out at the AIADMK for criticising him, DMK chief M Karunanidhi today listed out the various Central government initiatives in Tamil Nadu when the DMK was part of the Union government.

Referring to AIADMK's Executive and General Council meet on Thursday, he said one of the resolutions was dedicated to criticise him, charging his party with doing little for Tamil Nadu despite being part of various Central governments.

He claimed his party had contributed to the state since its participation in the V P Singh government when the Cauvery Tribunal was first constituted to look into the water-sharing dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

While the Sethusamudram shipping canal project "took shape" in the Vajapayee-led NDA government and was launched later in the UPA regime, Tamil was granted classical language status during Congress-led rule, of which also DMK was a part, he said.

Among others, a National Siddha Institute at Tambaram here, approval to convert all Metre Gauge railway lines into Broad Gauge and a NSG hub near Chennai were some of the "good activities" for Tamil Nadu when DMK was part of the Central government, he said.

Taking a dig at arch-rival and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, Karunanidhi recalled the AIADMK chief's withdrawal of support to Vajpayee government in 1999, saying she "was the reason" for the dissolution of that government.

He however cautioned he was recalling this episode with no intention of forming an alliance with the saffron party.

"None should indulge in imaginary campaign that I am writing this to form an alliance with BJP," he said.

On Friday, he had dismissed media reports suggesting DMK would align with BJP and clarified his party would contest the Lok Sabha polls with existing partners in the alliance.