Support welcome from all: PM

CHENNAI, Sept 16 (PTI) — The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, today appeared to have sent signals for new equations, including that with the DMK, when he made it clear that the BJP-led coalition was willing to accept support from any quarter.

"We are prepared to take support. We will not say no if somebody says he will support us,’’ he told a press conference here when asked about DMK’s readiness to support the coalition if the BJP proved it was secular.

Mr Vajpayee said he had raised the question with the DMK chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Mr M. Karunanidhi, when the latter called on him yesterday and added that "we are secular. We need no certificate from anybody.’’

The Prime Minister’s remarks assume significance in the context of his veiled attack in his address at an MDMK-sponsored rally late last night on the AIADMK supremo, Ms Jayalalitha, for airing differences in the open and not following coalition culture. He said such a behaviour did not strengthen the coalition.

The Chennai rally to celebrate the birth anniversary of DMK founder C. Annadurai was boycotted by Ms Jayalalitha, who held a parallel rally in Tiruchirapalli where she hit back at the BJP and allies like the MDMK, PMK and TRC warning them against "kicking the ladder (AIADMK) they had climbed up’’. If some parties thought the aiadmk could be thrown off after being used as a coalition partner they were mistaken, she said.

The Prime Minister at his press conference replied to a wide range of questions from stability of his government to use of Article 356, stand on the CTBT and economy.

On use of Article 356 providing for imposition of President’s rule, the Prime Minister said "we have not ruled out its use. What we have said is that this Article will not be misused."

The Prime Minister said even while the debate on the Article 356 would continue the government would take "appropriate action’’ under it when required.

On Ms Jayalalitha’s demand for meeting a pre-poll promise of dismissing the DMK government, he was initially reluctant to comment, but later said while promises made before or during elections would be kept in mind the "ground realities’’ should also be taken into account before such promises were given effect to.

Mr Vajpayee said the first meeting of the Cauvery River Authority would be convened "very soon’’.

"I would like to assure the people of Tamil Nadu that their interests have been fully safeguarded in the Cauvery agreement. The people should have no misgivings on this count.’’ He said when a reporter sought his comments on Ms Jayalalitha’s criticism that the accord was against the state’s interests.

He also said a meeting of the coordination committee of the BJP and its allies would be called after his return from the forthcoming trip abroad.

On the proposal for setting up a committee to review the Constitution, Mr Vajpayee said it would be constituted after the Assembly elections in four states in November.

About signing the CTBT, Mr Vajpayee said India was negotiating with key nations the issue of the treaty, especially regarding transfer of "high technology", to create conditions for signing it.

He said, "we would like some changes to be made, particularly regarding transfer of high technology. We are having talks on this and other points."

"I know the treaty is not going to be amended, but certain other arrangements should be made to create conditions for India to sign the CTBT," he said.

Mr Vajpayee said the talks with the key countries on the issue would resume when he goes to New York next week.

After the Pokhran nuclear tests, India had declared a self moratorium, and "that is the substance of the CTBT", he said.

There is no necessity for further underground tests, as whatever data were required have already been collected and nothing more is needed, he said. "That is why our attitude has changed."

Mr Vajpayee said Pakistan’s stand on signing the treaty would have no consequence on India’s decision on the issue.

"Our attitude towards the CTBT is not based on what Pakistan does or does not do. India will take an independent view," he said.

To a question on the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah’s request at the MDMK rally yesterday that India should sign the CTBT as the sanctions imposed by developed nations had started affecting the country, he said, "we will keep his advice in mind when we take a final decision."

Asked about the security implications of the Afghanistan situation in the wake of the Taliban’s stand-off with Iran, he said, "we are in touch with all countries in the region. We want an independent, non-aligned Afghanistan (which is) free from external interference."

On the presence of Taliban mercenaries in Kashmir, Mr Vajpayee said he had raised the issue with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during their meeting in Colombo. "Naturally, they denied they had anything to do with it."

"A strict watch is being kept on cross-border terrorism," he added.