CHENNAI, January 25: With no word from the TMC or the DMK on allotment of seats to the Tamil Nadu unit of Janata Dal, the embittered State JD unit has decided to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections on its own. The State unit has urged Prime Minister IK Gujral to stay off from the joint campaign to be launched by the United Front constituents at the Marina here on February 2.Speaking to media persons after the consultative meeting of State office-bearers and district presidents, Tamil Nadu unit president GA Vadivelu declared, ``there is no United Front in TN.'' He added, ``We blame the DMK for not persuading the TMC to grant seats to us.'' The State unit has obtained the sanction of the the high command to go it alone as per the former's unanimous decision and would field candidates in ten constituencies.
The party high command would also be advised to withdraw support to the DMK in Pondicherry, according to Pondicherry State convenor M Ilango and it would put up a candidate for the Usudu
(Reserved) Assembly by-election. The constituencies in Tamil Nadu would be decided at the meeting of the Parliamentary Board later in the day and made public in a couple of days after approval from the high command. Vadivelu also disclosed that the party would hold discussions with the CPM, Puthiya Tamizhagam and Congress(S).
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
