Tone of DMK resolution surprises BJP president

The BJP today expressed surprise at the ‘‘tone and tenor’’ of the critical resolution passed by the DMK, a key NDA const...

The BJP today expressed surprise at the ‘‘tone and tenor’’ of the critical resolution passed by the DMK, a key NDA constituent, on the Vajpayee Government’s liberalisation and disinvestment policies.

BJP president Venkaiah Naidu told mediapersons here that DMK leader and Union Minister Murasoli Maran was a great champion of the liberalisation policy initiated by the previous governments.

However, he refused to elaborate on the ‘‘tone and tenor’’ of the resolution which surprised the BJP. Any NDA constituent could air its differing perceptions in Cabinet meetings or write to the Government, Naidu said, apparently taking objection to the DMK executive passing a resolution against the disinvestment of profit-making PSUs.

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Asked whether he thought the DMK’s criticism of the economic policy was a prelude to the party leaving the NDA, the BJP leader retorted: ‘‘It is their decision. They are part of the NDA and we wish them to continue. We wish all constituents to stay together in the NDA’’.

He said the BJP was not interested in joining issue with Karunanidhi on his statement that he would not like to belittle himself and his party by replying to the BJP leaders’ criticism of his party in their own style.