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DMK, a major constituent of the UPA government at the Centre, does not seem to be in a hurry to decide on its strategy for presidential polls, though left parties have propped up the name of Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee for the top post.
"I will have to consult my party colleagues and take the opinion of alliance parties," DMK patriarch and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi told in an interview when asked about the party`s thinking on the presidential polls.
The DMK has 96 MLAs, 15 Lok Sabha MPs and two Rajya Sabha MPs, who will be voting in the presidential polls.
Asked whether A P J Abdul Kalam could be given a second term, Karunanidhi, who completes his one year in office tomorrow in his fifth stint as chief minister, said, "I do not want to comment on this before consulting party seniors".
He also did not foresee any change in the alliance pattern for the next Lok Sabha polls, scheduled for 2009.
"I do not foresee any single problem in continuance of present alliance. The DMK feels quite comfortable," he said.
Commenting on his one year in office, Karunanidhi said he is satisfied with his government`s performance.
"The biggest achievement in the first year is the implementation of 90 per cent of the promises in the DMK election manifesto for the assembly polls in 2006," he said.
Asked whether the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government would complete its full term, Karunanidhi replied in the affirmative. "There is no doubt about it," he said.
Karunanidhi said he was quite satisfied with the UPA government`s performance.
"People across the country are happy with it`s performance. Many good things kept in cold storage for a long time are happening now," he said.
The Centre`s greatest achievement with regard to Tamil Nadu was implementation of Sethusamudram ship canal project which was "dream of Tamils for well over a century," he said.
The next one is declaration of Tamil as a classical language, he said.
Asked whether the Centre was serious on reservation for OBCs, he said, "That is why they came forward to insert an amendment to the constitution."
The 83-year-old veteran, who has seen five Chief Ministers -- K Kamaraj, M Bakthavatsalam, C N Annadurai, M G Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa in his 50 years in legislature, rates Annadurai and Kamaraj as the best Chief Ministers.
"But Annadurai`s tenure was short and only for two years. Therefore, the state was not able to avail his services to the full extent," he said.
Karunanidhi said he has lot of respect for late Kamaraj, who ruled for nine years, despite political differences.
Karunanidhi, who entered the state assembly from Kulithalai in 1957 and has not lost any of the 11 elections he fought since then, said the assembly debates during his earlier tenures were mostly in lighter vein.
"But it is more heated at present. I have been enjoying the debates both then and now," he added.
"I will have to consult my party colleagues and take the opinion of alliance parties," DMK patriarch and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi told in an interview when asked about the party`s thinking on the presidential polls.
The DMK has 96 MLAs, 15 Lok Sabha MPs and two Rajya Sabha MPs, who will be voting in the presidential polls.
Asked whether A P J Abdul Kalam could be given a second term, Karunanidhi, who completes his one year in office tomorrow in his fifth stint as chief minister, said, "I do not want to comment on this before consulting party seniors".
He also did not foresee any change in the alliance pattern for the next Lok Sabha polls, scheduled for 2009.
"I do not foresee any single problem in continuance of present alliance. The DMK feels quite comfortable," he said.
Commenting on his one year in office, Karunanidhi said he is satisfied with his government`s performance.
"The biggest achievement in the first year is the implementation of 90 per cent of the promises in the DMK election manifesto for the assembly polls in 2006," he said.
Asked whether the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government would complete its full term, Karunanidhi replied in the affirmative. "There is no doubt about it," he said.
Karunanidhi said he was quite satisfied with the UPA government`s performance.
"People across the country are happy with it`s performance. Many good things kept in cold storage for a long time are happening now," he said.
The Centre`s greatest achievement with regard to Tamil Nadu was implementation of Sethusamudram ship canal project which was "dream of Tamils for well over a century," he said.
The next one is declaration of Tamil as a classical language, he said.
Asked whether the Centre was serious on reservation for OBCs, he said, "That is why they came forward to insert an amendment to the constitution."
The 83-year-old veteran, who has seen five Chief Ministers -- K Kamaraj, M Bakthavatsalam, C N Annadurai, M G Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa in his 50 years in legislature, rates Annadurai and Kamaraj as the best Chief Ministers.
"But Annadurai`s tenure was short and only for two years. Therefore, the state was not able to avail his services to the full extent," he said.
Karunanidhi said he has lot of respect for late Kamaraj, who ruled for nine years, despite political differences.
Karunanidhi, who entered the state assembly from Kulithalai in 1957 and has not lost any of the 11 elections he fought since then, said the assembly debates during his earlier tenures were mostly in lighter vein.
"But it is more heated at present. I have been enjoying the debates both then and now," he added.