DMDK ready for alliance with national parties: Vijayakant

New Delhi (PTI): Indicating a change in his stand, actor-politician Vijayakant on Tuesday said his party was ready to forge an alliance with any national party provided they give a "written understanding" that it will solve the problems of the people of Tamil Nadu.

"We will extend our assistance and support to whichever party that comes to power at Delhi provided we are equally satisfied that it will give good governance to our country as a whole and particularly solve the long-pending problems of the people of Tamil Nadu," the chief of DMDK party, which played a role in the defeat of AIADMK in the 2006 assembly elections, told a press conference here.

"We are ready for alliance. But the national party should give an understanding that it will solve the problems of the Tamil people and should strive hard to protect the interests of the neglected sections," Vijayakant, an MLA, said.

Noting that there are a number of issues such as Cauvery, Mullaperiyar and Hogenakkal which have not been solved for many years now, he said the DMDK hopes that it can sort out all these if it "shares power" at the Centre.

 

Asked about a senior Congress leader's reported remarks that Congress was not ready to forge an alliance with DMDK, Vijayakant shot back, "Where does the question of an alliance arise? I never discussed about having an alliance with any party. I am not after any political party".

However, keeping his options open for an alliance with the Congress, he said, "anything can happen in politics".

"Elections come and go. But people's problems remains the same. So, whichever party is ready for an understanding with us... we can talk to them," the DMDK leader said.

With more than eight per cent votes in last assembly elections, the party won one seat but could prove to be a spoiler for the major parties.

"Anything can happen in politics. Congress and DMK had differences of opinion on various issues. But didn't they forge an alliance?" he asked.

On the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, Vijayakant appealed to the Centre to take steps to initiate a dialogue between the LTTE and the island nation's government keeping in mind the "interests of the Tamils" on "humanitarian grounds".

"There is nothing wrong in interfering in the issue as the affected people are Tamils, who were taken to Lanka by colonial rulers. When Indian government can negotiate with militants in Nagaland, why can't it ask the Lankan government to follow the same," he said.

On India providing military assistance to the Lankan government, he said "when we see it from a national perspective there is nothing wrong in it as India does not like Sri Lanka being assisted militarily by other countries such as Pakistan and China".

He also said one can't say for sure that the arms are being used only against Tamils.

To a query whether his party would support Hindi if it captures power in Tamil Nadu, Vijayakant said, "We are not against any language. We vow to protect our language, but at the same time we are not against learning other languages."

Apparently criticising the DMK for taking credit for the shifting of saint Thiruvalluvar statue in R K Puram here to the Tamil Sangam premises, he claimed that the DMDK was the first party to write a letter to Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on the plight of the statue.

"But now other political parties are taking credit. But it is okay and we are not bothered. We thank the CM for her initiative," he said.