Karunanidhi stand on ties with Sri Lanka bid to get votes - Jayalalithaa

Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi’s call for snapping of diplomatic ties with Sri Lanka if a ceasefire is not announced in the country is only an attempt to get votes, said AIADMK General Secretary Jayalalithaa on Monday.

Addressing an election meeting in Dindigul, she said it was only a pretence; as if he was putting pressure on the Centre on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue.

“Why did he not say it all these days,” she wondered. Karunanidhi had been making contradictory statements on the issue. First, he eulogised Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam leader V. Prabhakaran and later said he did not like him (Prabhakaran) for he would be a dictator.

Karunanidhi had alleged that the LTTE was conspiring to assassinate him; had claimed that his party toed the Congress line on the issue and clarified that the DMK was neither in favour of nor against the LTTE.

Stating that the DMK was playing second fiddle to the Centre on the issue, Jayalalithaa said Karunanidhi was “deceiving” people.

He had orchestrated many dramas on the issue, including an all-party meeting, handing over of ‘resignation letters’ by DMK MPs, human chain protest and fast.

“This (snapping of diplomatic ties) is one among them.”

The Hindu