DMK undecided on joining government

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief M Karunanidhi on Sunday pledged support to a coalition government headed by Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Following a 45-minute meeting with Gandhi at her 10, Janpath residence in New Delhi, Karunanidhi said in Tamil that he had handed over to the Congress president a letter of support of 16 party MPs addressed to President A P J Abdul Kalam.

Asked if he was going to join the government, he said, "I did not say we will not join. This is a decision to be taken by the party's working committee."

The DMK leader said the party might take a "few weeks to a few months" to decide on the issue.

Karunanidhi said he would attend a meeting of the Congress's allies at Gandhi's residence in the evening, which would be followed by dinner.

The DMK had earlier said that it would not join the government, but had authorised Karunanidhi to take an appropriate decision in this regard.

Congress general secretary Kamal Nath, who is in-charge of Tamil Nadu, said the meeting took place in a cordial atmosphere. TN Congress Committee chief G K Vasan was also present at the meeting.

The DMK chief is likely to meet Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet and former prime minister V P Singh during the day.