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Vaiko's black-flag threat only to please someone: Pon Radhakrishnan

To a query on Mekedatu issue, Radhakrishnan said the Centre has given approval only to prepare a project report and not for construction of the dam.

Coimbatore: Coming down heavily on MDMK leader Vaiko for threatening to wave black flags at Prime Minister Narendra Modi whenever he visited Tamil Nadu, Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan on Tuesday said Vaiko was making such remarks "only to please someone."

"Modi will definitely visit Tamil Nadu and is ready to face any sort of agitation, including black flag demonstration," Radhakrishnan told reporters at the airport here. He said Vaiko was making the comments "only to please someone" for "political favour". Though he did not name the 'someone', it was obvious he was referring to the DMK president M K Stalin.

Taking a dig at Vaiko, Radhakrishnan said Vaiko broke away from DMK years ago, accusing it of conspiring against him and had vowed to teach a lesson to the party. But he was now showering praises on the DMK and swore he would strive to make Stalin the Chief Minister, the Union Minister said.

Claiming that the MDMK wanted to remain in the DMK front, the senior BJP leader said many in the DMK considered Vaiko as an "unwanted guest."

To a query on Mekedatu issue, Radhakrishnan said the Centre has given approval only to prepare a project report and not for construction of the dam.

Recently, the Central Water Commission had allowed Karnataka to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the construction of a balancing reservoir cum drinking water project at Mekedatu across the Cauvery.

Last week, CM K Palaniswami had urged the Centre to withdraw its permission to Karnataka for preparing the DPR.

On relief measures in Gaja cyclone-hit areas in the State, Radhakrishnan said additional quantum of funds would be decided after receiving the report from the Central Team, whhich visited the affected areas recently.

The November 16 cyclone, which affected 12 districts in the state, had claimed 63 lives and left a huge trail of destruction, damaging houses, crops, disrupting electricity supply and uprooting lakhs of trees. (With PTI report)

( Source : PTI )
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