Modi a symbol of destruction, says Cong minister

Elections in TN likely to be held in final phase

Chennai:

Union Minister of state for Commerce and Industry E M Sudarshana Natchiappan on Saturday said Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is a symbol of destruction and ruled out BJP would be able to form government under his leadership.

Speaking to reporters after a function in which 647 acres of land belonging to salt department was transferred to Kamrajar Port (previously Ennore Port), the minister hit out at Modi stating that the BJP prime ministerial candidate compared him to a tsunami which would destruct Congress.

“Tsunami means destruction and Modi himself has accepted that he is a symbol of destruction,” the minister said.

He said that even BJP has differences over accepting him as prime ministerial candidate.

Ruling out the possibility of BJP coming back to power, the minister said that  BJP has failed to garner an alliance unlike during former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure when it contested against the Congress in nine states and formed an alliance with regional parties in rest of the states, the minister said.

“Now parties are not keen to strike alliance with the BJP be it pre-poll or the post-poll. He said Congress won in 23 states individually and only in six states it had formed alliance with the regional parties,” Natchiappan said.

The minister said Congress will take time to announce the poll alliance in Tamil Nadu since elections is likely to happen in the final phase of elections.

“As the Class 10 and 12 exams are likely to get over by April 12, the elections could happen could happen in six or seven phases and may be Tamil Nadu will be the last to go in elections,” he said.

He said his party has already finalized talks for alliance with Maharashtra while talks are on in Bihar and Kashmir.

On DMK chief M Karunanidhi’s friendly overtures to Modi, he said Karunanidhi has many friends. But when it comes to alliance, he will stick to his party’s principles