CHENNAI, NOV 23: The Dravida Munnetra Kazagam (DMK) president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi said the general elections in the country was unavoidable under the present political circumstances.

Responding to mediapersons at the State Secretariat on Sunday on Prime Minister I K Gujral's indication that elections were imminent, Karunanidhi, asserted that there was no question of the DMK quitting from the UF Government. He observed that regardless of what the BJP's gained from the current scenario, the Congress was the main loser in the game.

Karunanidhi however said, ``We cannot be responsible if the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) forms a government with support from other parties.'' Asked if the DMK would offer outside support to the BJP, the CM remarked with a smile ``We will go to Parliament.''

On the friction in the alliance between the DMK and the Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC), Karunanidhi said there was no friction between the two parties. ``If at all you think there is a friction, then it is not because of us. I have already said the alliance is there.'' When pressed, he said the continuation of the alliance in the future with the TMC and in what form it will be continued will be discussed in the party executive committee meeting. He said the executive will meet shortly and he will definitely convey to the media the date of the meeting.

Asked why the TMC had not categorically expressed its support to the DMK on the Jain Commission issue, Karunanidhi said he did not know the reasons.He reiterated that no solution could be envisaged without the DMK. ``We cannot quit and we will not quit.'' He discounted speculations that some leaders were holding negotiations for a government minus the DMK. ``Several leaders were meeting each other. They are trying to solve the problem. I cannot give an opinion on the meetings.''

Asked about the reported moves of Mulayam Singh Yadav to become prime minister with the support of the Congress, Karunanidhi said ``These were imaginative theories appearing in the press and I cannot answer such questions.'' Asked if there was a move to split the UF by the TMC and Mulayam Singh Yadav, the CM said he hoped there will be no split. About the stand of Mulayam Singh Yadav on the Jain Panel implication of DMK in its report, he said two versions of his stand were coming in the news papers: One, that he would not let down the DMK, and, two, that the UF government should not be allowed to fall. On the meeting between Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) leader G K Moopanar and Congress leader Karunakaran in Delhi, the DMK president said ``I have no information on the meeting.'' Commenting on the fallout of Jain Panel's report on his poll performance, Karunanidhi said the results of local bodies' polls held lately in TN indicated the party continued popularity despite the Jain report.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.