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NT Bureau
Chennai, Apr 12:

        After a seeming lull for a week or so, the strained and uneasy relationship between the DMK and its ally PMK came out in the open on the floor of the House today, and it took all the smart diversionary tactics of Chief Minister M Karunanidhi to help salvage the situation, which otherwise threatened to embarrass both the parties.

        It all began with the PMK criticising the government for denying permission for one of its members to speak on the discussion on demands for grants for local administration and rural development department.

        PMK Legislature party leader G K Mani openly expressed his dissatisfaction over the removal of one of his party colleagues' name from the list of speakers on the discussion.

        He claimed that when the list was finalised yesterday, there were names of two of his party MLAs along with two members each from the AIADMK and the Congress. Today, Mani said, much to his chagrin he found that one of the names being removed from the list. 'Much against ethics and also the Assembly rules, the name has been removed,' he said and added that this kind of injustice should not be repeated.

        Senior DMK Minister Arcot N Veerasamy explained that time constraint had forced the deletion of the name since the members who were listed to speak yesterday have to continue today. 'Moreover, the Local Administration Minister had asked for two hours of time for his reply. This is also yet another reason for deletion of the name of the PMK member.'

        Intervening, and perhaps sensing the pregnant volatility of the situation, Karunanidhi quipped that PMK members could treat M K Stalin also as their second member. With Karunanidhi's witty aside, the issue came to an end. At least in the House.

        But doubtless, the PMK will hark on this issue at political forum outside. PMK's supremo Dr S Ramadoss, who has many axes to grind against the DMK, will obviously take umbrage at one of his partymen being denied a chance to speak in the Assembly. But if the PMK wishes to ignore the whole matter, it will be seen as another victory for the DMK in this battle of oneupmanship.