Monday, March 14 2005 12:28 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Dindigul (TN): Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), a key partner in the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) at the Centre, yesterday (Mar 13, 2005) said that it has not given up its main slogan of 'autonomous State Governments' and 'joint Central Government' and would fight for it.

"We have not given up our main slogan - 'Manilathil Suya atchi and Madhiyil Kootatchi' (autonomous State Government and joint Central Government)," DMK President M Karunanidhi said in his valedictory address at the party's two-day regional conference in Dindigul.

He was responding to Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) leader and his former party strongman Vaiko's question whether the Dravidian parties "have give up their main slogan".

Karunanidhi said autonomy for States was one of the five main slogans declared at the Tiruchirappalli conference of the party in the 1960s and DMK still considered it was important to achieve.

He expressed hope that even various other political parties could accept such a philosophy in principle. A lot of preparations should be done before implementing the slogans as the rights and powers of the State and Central Government as also the departments governed by the two should be demarcated. "It is a long process and the Constitution should be amended."

However, he was for the slogan and would fight for it till it was achieved, he said.

Karunanidhi said "joint governance" was totally different from a coalition Government at the Centre. "While in a coalition Government seat-sharing is done prior to elections, and the Ministries are even allocated, in a joint Government, governance is done jointly."

On use of Art 356 to dismiss the State Government, he said even at "very bad times" like when he was arrested and let out after a week of "horrible imprisonment" during the present All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) regime, he had opposed imposition of the article and President's Rule in Tamil Nadu.

Karunanidhi also made it clear that the present alliance was purely to dethrone the "the rule of the monster" in the State and offered to make seat adjustments and share more seats before the next year's Assembly elections with the sole objective of putting an end to the "anti-people and anti-democratic AIADMK Government".

Citing the examples of coalition State Governments in Kerala and West Bengal and stating that in those States everything, including seat sharing and Government formation, were discussed in detail in advance, he, however, indicated that similar arrangement of coalition Government was not necessary or possible in Tamil Nadu.

Even in situations like the present one in Bihar or Jharkand, coalition Government could be a welcome move, he said.

Besides Vaiko, Congress leader G K Vasan, Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) leader Ramdoss and secretaries of State units of Communist Party of India Marxist (CPM) and Communist Part of India (CPI) N Varadharajan and Nallakannu, who also addressed the gathering, said they would remain united and vowed not to fall a prey to 'the conspiracies' to break the alliance.