Karunanidhi hints at coalition govt in TN

Chennai: Voicing confidence that his party will win the Tamil Nadu polls, DMK president M Karunanidhi on Wednesday hinted at a possible coalition government, a key issue said to have been raised by long-time ally Congress as a post-poll arrangement.

"Our prospects are as bright as the Rising Sun (DMK's symbol) and we will win as many seats as we require to form government. It could either be our own or a coalition," he told reporters in Chennai after casting his vote.

During the tough seat-sharing bargaining between Congress and DMK, the national party is said to have made a strong pitch for a share in power.

The Congress has been out of power in Tamil Nadu since 1967 when it was unseated by the DMK, then under party founder C N Annadurai.

On allegations of EC acting in a "biased" manner, the chief minister said, "As far as we are concerned, they acted harshly but I won't say they were partisan. A few people have been affected by the EC and I don't see anything wrong when they talk about that."

During his poll campaign, Karunanidhi had been critical of the Election Commission, saying that some of its officers were working like in "emergency times" with the intention of defeating his party and asked the Centre to consider what powers the EC should be given in the future.

Deputy Chief Minister and Karunanidhi's son M K Stalin also sounded confident of a DMK sweep claiming that its front would win around 200 seats on the basis of the government's populist measures and the overall performance.

After casting his vote he told reporters that the Election Commission was not acting in a non-partisan manner and said his father Karunanidhi has reiterated the same.

On Jayalalithaa's allegation that DMK had unleashed violence in the state ahead of polls, Karunanidhi said "Reports suggest that AIADMK men are behind the murder of Vikravandi Panchayat chairman Arjunan (on Tuesday). One can make out from this who is unleashing violence."

Jayalalithaa had only targeted him and not focused on her party's manifesto, he claimed.