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Moopanar sceptical of alternative to BJP government

Tamil Maanila Congress president G K Moopanar today welcomed the formation of the Rashtriya Loktantrik Morcha by the Samajvadi Party and the Rashtriya Janata Dal yesterday, but expressed doubts over the stability of an alternative government replacing the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre.

Addresssing a news conference in Madras, he said nobody wanted an election now but if it was forced on the people, everyone has to face the music.

For a coalition government to be stable, he said, the leading partner should have a strength close to a majority. Otherwise, it would be subject to the pulls and pressures of other partners who could have equal strength as the leading partner, he added.

Answering a question, he said the arithmetic of the secular parties did not seem to offer a stable alternative. All parties supporting a government should also be in the government, he averred.

Asked whether the All India Anna DMK, whose disenchantment with the BJP-led government might cause the downfall of the Vajpayee government, could be part of a new arrangement, Moopanar said they (those who form the new government) would be reviewing all that was happening in Madras before taking that party into the government.

Asked whether he would appeal to the Congress to take the initiative to form an alternative government, Moopanar said: "I am a small fry to make such an appeal."

On whether the TMC would join the RLM, he asserted that his party was in the United Front which was yet to discuss the development.

To a question on the relevance of the UF in the wake of the formation of the secular front, Moopanar said the RJD was not part of the UF. The new front has also invited the Left parties to join them, he pointed out.

He declined to comment about AIADMK chief J Jayalalitha's charge that Union Home Minister L K Advani had no concern for national security.

About Jayalalitha's claim that the BJP had assured her before the election to dismiss the DMK government in Tamil Nadu in the event of the party capturing power at the Centre, he said two parties coming to a private agreement on dismissing a government was totally unconstitutional.

Criticising the Union home ministry for sending central teams to some states, Moopanar said such a team could be sent only during a particular situation.

On the performance of the Vajpayee government, which completes 100 days in office on June 27, he said Vajpayee was a highly respected leader. The BJP-led government was hardly on its feet to do anything now, he added.

Replying to a question, he said making preparations for a prefabricated Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya would pose a threat to the country's secular fabric. No one was opposed to building a Ram temple, but only at the disputed site, he added.

On the Union government's resistance to Jayalalitha's demand for dismissal of the DMK government in the state, Moopanar said the Centre could not dismiss the Karunanidhi government as it could not secure the ratification of both the houses of Parliament.

Referring to the resignation of former TMC MP, Adaikala Raj and some others from the party, he said if they had resigned, their resignations would be accepted.

UNI

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