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Ramamurthy offers to step down

Union Petroleum Minister Vazhapadi K Ramamurthy today offered to step down and let an All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam candidate could take over, if that could ensure the stability of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government.

Addressing the media in Madras, Ramamurrthy said he had no plan to quit the government. He had offered to resign from the ministry earlier, but the prime minister had refused to accept his resignation, he said.

Asked about the AIADMK's claim that he owed his position as petroleum minister to Jayalalitha, Ramamurthy said he was willing to give up the portfolio but the appointment of a minister and allotment of portfolios were the prerogative of the prime minister, he added.

There has been speculation that the friction between the AIADMK and Ramamurthy was because Jayalalitha wanted her own nominee to hold the post.

UNI

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