``It's not an election plank... But I do believe it is an important issue,'' he said, responding to questions on Congress seniors including Sharad Pawar and PA Sangma raising a banner of revolt against Sonia Gandhi being projected as the party's prime ministerial candidate.

``BJP will be neutral. All that it means is that a section of the Congressmen are troubled about the issue'', the minister shot back when he when he was asked if the rebellion in the Congress camp would help improve BJP's electoral chances.

Asked if Pawar would join the Bharatiya Janata Party in the wake of the developments in the Congress he replied, ``He is very much with the Congress now,'' he replied. He dismissed as hypothetical a question on the possibility of an alliance with any regional outfit led by Pawar in Maharashtra. ``At themoment, we are with the Shiv Sena. In politics, we only speak for the moment''.

Kumaramangalam, who till a month ago was bitterly critical of the DMK Government in the state, changed tack and ``congratulated'' the Government on filing the charge-sheet in the Coimbatore bomb blast case. He pointed out that the party had demanded a CBI inquiry as the case had inter-state ramifications when he was asked about the BJP's earlier demand for a CBI probe.

Claiming that the law and order situation had ``improved'' in the State, and that the Government had taken firm action against the extremists, he subtly dodged queries on the DMK Government's withdrawal of the controversial Prevention of Terrorist Activities Bill, saying, ``I will have to find out the reasons for withdrawal''.

The BJP is ``very comfortable'' with the DMK and seat-sharing arrangements had been initiated.

Kumarangalam said the Supreme Court verdict on the Special Courts would have no impact on the electoral scene in Tamil Nadu. ``There is nofall-out except that Jayalalitha's argument that the State and Central Governments were vindictive towards her was struck down''.

Indicating that he would contest in Tiruchi Lok Sabha constituency, he said he would love to be re-elected from the constituency.