ELECTIONS

Karunanidhi attributes victory to hard work

Source:PTI
May 16, 2009 22:24 IST
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on Saturday described his party's victory in the Lok Sabha polls in the state is "a reward for my toil for the welfare of the people of Tamil Nadu."

"A farmer who tills the soil, waters it and sows the seeds knows what he will reap. Like that I have given the people of Tamil Nadu solutions to all their problems, have taken care of their welfare and I expected they would reward me," he told CNN IBN television channel.

Karunanidhi said a decision on participating in the new Union cabinet to be formed would be taken at the party's executive committee in Chennai on May 18.

"Wait and see," was his reply when asked whether his son M K Azhagiri, daughter Kanimozhi and grandnephew Dayanidhi Maran would be in the ministry.

On the Opposition's charge that money power played a big role in his party's victory, he said it was an allegation by a losing side. "We have won because of our people-friendly government."

On the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, he said, "Tamils, including women and children, have become orphans. They should not be a casualty in the war and we are taking steps to ensure that," he said.

Karunanidhi said he had spoken to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue) and with the support of the people of Tamil Nadu, the DMK had organised several peaceful protests.

"But the issue has still not been resolved, both the prime minister and Sonia Gandhi have said there should be a political solution," he said.

Unlike in the past, it was not possible to attack a country militarily and solve a problem through war, he said in an apparent reference to All India Anna DMK leader Jayalalitha's stand during her campaign on sending the Indian Army for creating a Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka.

"No one desires that. Even India's independence came through non-violence and we should think like that and take steps to do that. We are thinking of possible ways in which the Tamils there can live as equals with the Sinhalese without war and with democracy," he said.

Source: PTI
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