Cong-DMK alliance to continue for LS polls

The Congress on Monday announced its alliance with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam would continue for Lok Sabha polls, setting at rest speculation about the future of the tie-up in the wake of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's overture to the lead United Progressive Alliance party.
   
"The top leadership of Congress and DMK share a perfect relationship and there is total coordination between them,
which will continue in future also", All India Congress Committee general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad, in charge of party affairs in Tamil Nadu, told media-persons after meeting DMK chief M Karunanidhi at his residence in Chennai on Monday evening. Describing his party's alliance with DMK as "one of the most successful" ones, Azad said DMK is a very strong ally of the UPA.
   
On seat-sharing with the DMK for the Lok Sabha polls, Azad said while the former had announced a committee to discuss seat-sharing, Congress would soon form a similar team "which will start the process soon." He said "like-minded parties" were welcome to join the Congress-DMK fold in the state.
   
Azad expressed the confidence over UPA putting up a good show in the polls and said he was "100 per cent sure" that the Congress-led coalition would come back to power.

"Since elections in Tamil Nadu are scheduled towards the end of five-phase polls, the state "will have enough time to
mobilise itself," Azad said.
   
Earlier, after meeting Karunanidhi, who returned home from hospital here after undergoing spinal surgery, Azad said he was "extremely happy" that the surgery was succesful. "I have been enquiring about his health for the past few days but had wanted to meet him in person," Azad said.
  
On his first tour of Tamil Nadu after being made in-charge of party affairs in Tamil Nadu, Azad said he had held talks
with party MPs, MLAs and various other functionaries ahead of the elections.