PMK to fight polls as part of DPA

LL SMILES: PMK founder S. Ramadoss with Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi at the latter’s residence in Chennai on Thursday. PMK president G.K. Mani is in the picture.

CHENNAI: Pattali Makkal Katchi founder S. Ramadoss, who met Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Thursday at the Gopalapuram residence for over 30 minutes, reiterated that his party would remain in the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led Democratic Progressive Alliance to fight the Parliamentary elections.

The last such meeting between the two leaders took place in May last. Since then the two parties had indulged in a war of words over a host of issues .

Explaining the purpose of his meeting, Dr. Ramadoss, who was accompanied by the party president G.K. Mani, said he greeted the Chief Minister for three reasons — declaring the first day of the Tamil month “Thai” as the Tamil New Year Day; coming out openly against the use of publicity extravaganza such as the display of massive hoardings and the Supreme Court’s recent verdict upholding the State Government’s Tamil Learning Act. He briefed the Chief Minister on his party’s anti-liquor campaign, which would be launched later this month.

Keeping in mind that the Budget session of the Assembly would begin soon, Dr. Ramadoss impressed upon Mr. Karunanidhi the need for the State Government to prepare an economic survey, action-taken reports and an outcome budget on the lines of the Union Government. “If we do, ours would be the first State, setting an example to others,” he said.

He wanted the State Government to come out with agriculture and gender budgets.

There should be a local bodies’ window in the State Government’s budget, the PMK leader said.

He brought to the attention of the Chief Minister the fact that other States had exclusive Ministers for primary education and water resources. Tamil Nadu too should follow suit, Dr. Ramadoss said.