Interacting with mediapersons at a conference organised by the Madras Reporters Guild, he maintained that the stance of the PMK, a constituent of the National Democratic Alliance, on the killers of Rajiv Gandhi would not in any way create a crisis for the NDA. He however concurred with the view of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president M Karunanidhi that there was difference of opinion within the NDA constituents on the mercy issue.

Karunanidhi had indirectly supported the call for mercy by stating that he was against death penalty, Ramadoss said. He argued that E Ponnusamy, the PMK nominee in the Union Ministry, did not recommend commutation of the death sentence to Nalini, Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan. Ponnusamy merely forwarded the mercy petition for the President's consideration.

On the accusation that thePMK sought to work against the socio-economic interests of Dalits in the state, he said he did not understand what exactly the Dalit leaders wanted. Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies were reserved for SC candidates, and no party prevented Dalit leaders from coming to power by democratic means, he said.