Chennai, Sep 14 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi Sunday said discussions were underway with the Congress leadership to form a power sharing coalition in the state.
“The highest levels of leaderships of both the parties will decide on the issue,” Karunanidhi told reporters.
This was the first sign of the chief minister’s climb down since the DMK came to power in 2006.
A section within the Congress has been expressing dissatisfaction over Karunanidhi’s refusal to share power in the state.
Karunanidhi’s indication of a coalition ministry triggered a number of parleys within the Tamil Nadu Congress committee.
Reacting to this, a former central minister belonging to the party said this was a welcome development that will bring the two parties closer.
“After losing power to the DMK in 1967, if we have a stake in the government when the same party is in power it is the first sign of the return of Kamaraj rule,” the former minister said.
Karunanidhi also announced several sops to people below the poverty line from Oct 2 – including low-priced rations to over 18 million ration card holders costing the exchequer over Rs.1 billion.