Karunanidhi had objected to the Centre's stand regarding the special leave petition (SLP) filed by Jayalalitha against the special courts established by the State. The Centre has insisted that the power to assign cases in special courts rests with it alone and not with the State.

In the SLP, the Centre stated its intention to assert its statutory authority and responsibility under provision 4(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act - which the State has usurped, a PMO release said.

During its eight months in power, the BJP-led Government had relentlessly pursued all cases of corruption, including those in which allies have been involved, the PMO statement said, adding that itwould not allow any witch hunt either.Two members of the Union council of ministers had to tender resignations due to alleged involvement in cases. Moreover, the government had also introduced the Lok Pal Bill in Parliament, and the PM has also been brought under the Bill's purview.

In Chennai, the BJP State unit vice-president, V Maitreyan, said that the BJP government's stand before the S C was aimed at safeguarding justice and not protecting any individual.He said the Centre did not need lessons on eliminating corruption from Karunanidhi, against whom several corruption charges had been framed by the Sarkaria Commission. He claimed that corruption charges against the ruling DMK had just started coming in from all quarters and this proved that the State government was not free of corruption.