Friday, June 9 2006 17:33 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Tirunelveli: MDMK chief Vaiko has demanded that the DMK withdraw its nominees from the Dr Manmohan Singh Ministry at the Centre and extend outside support to it since the party did not want to accommodate Congress in its ministry in Tamil Nadu.

It was 'absurd' for the DMK to say that the party was extending outside support to the Congress in Pondicherry, which was a 'tiny union territory' and wanted reciprocation of the same in Tamil Nadu, he told a public meeting near here last night.

Pointing out that DMK Chief M Karunanidhi had expressed his willingness for a coalition ministry before the assembly elections, Vaiko said he had changed his mind later.

Responding to the demand by Congressmen in Tamil Nadu for a share in power in the state instead of supporting the minority DMK minsitry from outside, Karunanidhi had recently said under a reciprocal arrangement between DMK and Congress, the parties had decided to extend outside support to respective governments in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry.

Asking reasons for the hesitation of the DMK of sharing power with the Congress, he asked, "Is it because Congress did not want to join the Government? or is it because the DMK did not want to share its power with the Congress?"

"Had Sonia Gandhi refused to join the government it is acceptable. When the DMK is part of the UPA Government, why not Congress be a partner in DMK government?" he asked.

On the hike in petrol and diesel prices, Vaiko wanted the DMK Government to reduce the salex tax as Karunanidhi had advised AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa when he was in opposition.

"Now he should do what he advised Jayalalithaa and reduce the sales tax," he said.

Stating that Karunanidhi had welcomed the takeover of the cable TV business by the state government, a decision of the previous AIADMK government, the MDMK leader asked whether he (Karunanidhi) would go ahead with it so tha cable connection could be given free of cost to the beneficiaries of free TV scheme.