Azad Visit Chennai to Talk with TN Chiefminister

Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad is likely to visit Chennai tomorrow to hold talks with DMK chief and Tamilnadu's chiefminister Mr.M Karunanidhi in a bid to break the deadlock over allocation of ministerial berths.

Azad is being deputed as the Congress emissary to persuade the DMK chief after the party announced yesterday that it will give outside support to the UPA government, Congress sources said. Karunanidhi left for Chennai this morning with his son M K Azhagiri but left instructions that DMK MPs must attend the swearing-in ceremony of Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister at Rashtrapati Bhavan this evening.

"All DMK MPs will attend the swearing-in ceremony," senior DMK leader T R Baalu said in Chennai. "DMK is not worried. Congress is our friend," he said giving indications that the party had not foreclosed its option for further talks to end the stalemate.