Aggrieved over denial of Rajya Sabha seat, Pattali Makkal Katchi on Thursday gave an ultimatum to the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, heading the Democratic Progressive Alliance, to reconsider its decision and allot one seat to it by March 15.
Talking to media persons in Chennai after chairing the party's emergent administrative committee meeting, which was attended by six parliamentarians and 18 legislators, PMK founder-leader Dr S Ramadoss said though different views were expressed in the meeting, the party had decided to renew talks with the DMK to sort the issue.
"We have time till March 15 -- the last date for filing of nominations for the Rajya Sabha elections from the state assembly to elect six members -- before taking a final decision," he said.
He, however, refused to speculate the party's final stand, if it was denied a seat.
Stating that injustice has been meted out to his party on this issue, Dr Ramadoss said the DMK had the responsibility to undo the injustice by allotting the party one seat.
"The veteran DMK leader, who had been advocating alliance dharma, should undo the injustice and prove that the DMK was not ignoring the PMK," he said.
The meeting, convened in the backdrop of Karunanidhi announcing sharing of seats by allotting two seats each to the DMK and the Congress and one to the Communist Party of India-Marxist, expressed the view that the PMK should abstain from voting or it should field its own candidate, he said.
However, a resolution was adopted to hold talks again with the DMK and empower him to take further steps and protect the self-respect of the party, Dr Ramadoss said.
He replied in the negative when asked whether he would meet Karunanidhi and hold talks. Party president G K Mani would hold talks, he added.
Dr Ramadoss said PMK had no objection in giving two seats to the Congress and one to the CPI-M, but it should be given one seat, based on its strength in the House.
Since the ruling DMK enjoyed cabinet berths and heading various boards, it should give one seat from its share of two seats to the PMK, he said, adding that this was only fair as the PMK had been offering unconditional support to the DMK government, right from the day when the DMK, with few seats short for majority, came to power in May 2006.
Dr Ramadoss also took strong exception to Karunanidhi unilaterally announcing sharing of seats and his contention that the PMK had been given a seat in 2004 and it should wait till 2010 when the term of office of the Rajya Sabha member (Dr Anbumani Ramadoss) expire.
This gave an impression that the DMK leader was indirectly saying that the PMK need not have one more Rajya Sabha member till 2010, which was totally unfair, he said.
Displaying a copy of the agreement reached between the DMK and the PMK prior to the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, Dr Ramadoss said as per the agreement, the DMK allotted six Lok Sabha seats and gave one Rajya Sabha seat to the party and that came to an end with the 2004 Lok Sabha elections.
After the constitution of the new Assembly in 2006, the party had 18 legislators and sharing of Rajya Sabha seats now should be based on the strengths of the parties in the new assembly.
Last year, the PMK did not stake claim for a seat when the DMK won two seats and had allotted one each to the Congress and the CPI. This time, it should be the turn of PMK to stake claim for a seat, Dr Ramadoss argued.
Accusing the DMK of ignoring his party right from 1996, the PMK leader said at least now the 'big brother' should change its stand and be fair to PMK.
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