Friday, May 5 2006 09:57 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: DMK withdrew support to the NDA Government in December 2003 because Prime Minister Atal BihariVajpayee refused to promote A Raja, a Dalit, as Cabinet minister following the death of Murasoli Maran.

Party chief M Karunanidhi told sources in an interview that he felt 'badly hurt' when Vajpayee did not accede to his request to elevate A Raja as a Cabinet minister after the death of Maran.

"Vajpayee asked me over telephone who should be appointed as a Cabinet minister in the vacancy caused by the death of Maran. I wanted the post to be given to Raja since he is a Dalit.

"But When Venkaiah Naidu met me two days later, he told me it was not possible to elevate Raja as he was a junior. This was one of reasons for the DMK to leave the NDA. I had not revealed this to anybody so far," Karunanidhi said.

But this type of situation did not prevail in the UPA, he said adding that this was the basic difference between the two alliances.

Karunanidhi's opponents in the state had alleged in the past that the DMK had withdrawn support because Vajpayee did not concede to his request of making Dayanidhi Maran a minister.

Both Raja and Dayanidhi Maran are Cabinet ministers in the UPA Government.