Thursday, December 29 2005 15:29 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: With the elections to the state assembly round the corner, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) President M Karunanidhi would for the first time in recent years hit the streets to lead an Opposition demonstration here tomorrow (Dec 30, 2005), demanding proper distribution of flood relief materials to the affected people in Tamil Nadu.

The octogenarian leader would be joined by all the top leaders of the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA) in the demonstration to be held in front of the collectorate here, DMK sources said.

The DPA had decided to hold demonstrations all over the state tomorrow condemning the 'vengeful' attitude of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) Government for blaming the opposition parties for the stampede in front of a flood relief distribution centre here on December 18, in which 42 persons were killed.

DMK councilor of the Chennai Corporation Dhanasekaran was arrested by the police here on December 20 on charges of spreading rumours that the distribution of relief materials would be stopped on December 18, leading to convergence of a 4,500-strong crowd, leading to the stampede.

The opposition parties had condemned the arrest.

While TNCC President G K Vasan, Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) President G K Mani, MDMK Chief Vaiko, Communist Party of India (CPI) Marxist (M) leader N Varadarajan and CPI National Executive member and senior most CPI leader in the state R Nallakannu would join Karunanidhi in the demonstration, DMK General Secretary K Anbazhagan would head the agitation at neighbouring Kancheepuram.

All the constituents of the DPA had appealed to their volunteers to participate in the demonstration in a big way to 'teach a lesson to the AIADMK Government'.