MDMK quits NDA, hits out at Modi govt

Says BJP govt at Centre was acting against the Tamils

MDMK, led by Vaiko, today decided to quit the NDA alliance in Tamil Nadu alleging that the BJP government at the Centre was acting against Tamils and has betrayed the people of the state.

The MDMK District Secretaries meeting held here adopted an unanimous resolution to walk out of the NDA, the alliance it joined on the eve of Lok Sabha polls.

The resolution moved by party supremo Vaiko declared that "MDMK can no more be part of the BJP-led NDA as the saffron party-led government has been insensitive to a host of issues concerning Tamil Nadu including Mullaperiyar dam issue".

The district secretaries meeting, one of the top level wings of the party, urged that India should not support Sri Lanka.

"BJP has been acting against Tamils. Modi wished Mahinda Rajapaksa for elections (there). Modi government is silent on Subramanian Swamy's proposal for Bharat Ratna for Rajapaksa", the resolution stated.

The party also came down heavily on the BJP government's efforts on "sanskritisation of education."

The party alleged that the Modi government had not taken care of the needs of Tamil Nadu people. The government has given permission for review of Mullaiperiyar dam water level, it charged. "Modi is betraying people of Tamil Nadu," it said.

The resolution was critical of the "inaction" by the Centre on the Cauvery water sharing issue against the backdrop of Tamil Nadu continuing to press for setting up Cauvery Management Authority and its opposition to Karnataka's plans to build dams across the Cauvery river at Mekedatu.

The party termed the release of five fishermen, who were saved from death sentence following pardon granted by Rajapaksa, as a "drama" and accused the Centre of not solving the fishermen issue.

The MDMK joined the six-party grand alliance led by BJP in Tamil Nadu ahead of May Lok Sabha elections. Though the party contested seven seats out of 39, it could not win any. BJP and PMK, another partner of the NDA alliance, managed to win a seat each.

Vaiko has been critical of the Modi-led government in the last few months and Modi greeting Lankan President Rajapaksa at the SAARC meeting further widened the cracks. There was criticism by BJP leaders against Vaiko, with H Raja saying Vaiko was free to remain or leave the alliance.