Chennai: Union Minister of State in Prime Minister's office, Vijay Goel dismissed as 'mere allegations', Tamil Nadu's charge that Prime Minister A B Vajpayee had adopted a 'partisan' attitude towards Tamil Nadu on the Cauvery water issue.

Responding to a question at a press conference in Chennai on September 13 evening, Goel said, "At the PMO, all are equal and all citizens are equal. Sometimes, leaders of a particular state speak only with the interests of their states in their minds."

"At the PMO level or Prime Minister's level, there is no discrimination whatsoever," he said.

He dismissed as 'incorrect', reports that he was sent to Gujarat by Prime Minister only to convey Prime Minister's 'unhappiness' over Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi's recent outbursts against minorities.

Asked whether there was any programme to call on state Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, Goel said he was going back to New Delhi tonight.

Union Minister of State for Railways, A K Moorthy, was also present at the press conference.

PTI