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N Sathiya Moorthy in Chennai
Politics of animosity and mutual hatred of the past months seems to be coming to an end in Tamil Nadu.
Hours after chief minister designate J Jayalalithaa called upon the opposition parties to play a 'constructive' role, rival Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief M Karunanidhi, accepted, as much in public.
Simultaneously, Jayalalithaa also reiterated her call for issue-based support to the Centre, thus seeking to end an era of political confrontation, and consequent isolation.
Talking to newsmen after paying a courtesy call on Governor P S Ramamohan Rao at the Raj Bhavan in Chennai, Jayalalithaa called upon political parties in the state to give up the 'politics of hate' and 'negative politics'.
"People have given their mandate to the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, and the opposition parties should play a positive role," Jayalalithaa told newsmen.
"When the State is facing an unprecedented financial crisis, they should extend constructive cooperation to the government, without treating us as an enemy," she declared.
Prompt in replying to Jayalalithaa was DMK chief and former chief minister, M Karunanidhi.
"The DMK has functioned as a constructive opposition all along, and will continue to be so," Karunanidhi said.
"We will support all good programmes of the government, and will oppose programmes that are not good," he added.
In this context, Karunanidhi referred to Jayalalithaa's prompt demand for the withdrawal of fare and freight hikes announced in the railway budget on Tuesday.
"She should clarify her position on the steeper hike in the bus fares introduced by the state government earlier," he said.
Karunanidhi also mentioned how he had lost no time in greeting Jayalalithaa on her birthday and electoral victory.
"We are also not planning to challenge her election, or ask for declaring the DMK candidate, Vaigai Shekar, declared elected instead, from Andipatti," he said.
"We are only going to seek remedial measures against the Election Commission colluding with illegalities in the Andipatti by-election," he clarified.
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