Chennai: The assertion by Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani that a Ram temple would be built at his "very birth place" indicated that the "cat is out of the bag", Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief M Karunanidhi said today (March 16, 2004).

"The Ayodhya issue was put on the backburner as long as DMK, PMK (Pattali Makkal Katchi) and the MDMK (Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) were part of the NDA (National Democratic Alliance). The cat is now out of the bag, thanks to the open support by Advani and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa," he said writing in a column in DMK mouthpiece 'Murasoli'.

Addressing a public meeting at Bagalkot as part of his Bharat Uday Yatra yesterday, Advani had said he was confident that a grand Ram temple would be built at his "very birth place" with the "co-operation and support of all".

Karunanidhi also took exception to Jayalalithaa's repeated assertions at various election meetings that the DMK had committed a "treacherous act" on Cauvery water issue.

Pointing out that it was DMK which took the initiative for setting up of Cauvery tribunal, he charged her with putting "spokes to the wheels" on the issue. "It is unpardonable that she is now accusing DMK by shifting the blame."

On her charge that Tamil Nadu representatives in the NDA Government did precious little for the welfare of the State, the former Chief Minister said "the participation of Murasoli Maran (then Commerce Minister) at the Doha meet and raising Indian stature at world level" was an example of DMK's "good work".