MDMK to pull out of NDA govt

Source: PTI

December 29, 2003

Following in the footsteps of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhaghan, the Madumarachi DMK on Monday decided to pull out its two ministers from the National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre.

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The decision was taken at a meeting of the district secretaries of the party in Chennai attended among others by the two Union Ministers, Gingee N Ramachandran and M Kannappan.

The meeting was held after the two ministers and the MDMK presidium chairman L Ganesan met Vaiko in Vellore prison last week in the wake of the DMK's decision.

Ever since the DMK pulled out of the NDA, the MDMK has been under pressure to follow suit as the DMK had taken up Vaiko's detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act as a major issue.

The MDMK appeared hesitant to pull out of the NDA because of the latest amendment brought to the POTA, which the party felt would help Vaiko's case. The MDMK has four MPs, all from Tamil Nadu, in the Lok Sabha.

Kannappan and Ramachandran will be calling on Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Tuesday to submit their resignations. They would leave for Delhi on Monday evening.