In a frank interview to The Indian Express today, Karunanidhi said an electoral alliance with that party would be considered by his party's executive committee and general council when elections come and added that the DMK was firm in its resolve to extend support to the Atal Behari Vajpayee Government.

As a matter of strategy, he says the DMK's presence in a BJP-led front would help establish ties between the minorities and the BJP. Rather than adopt a confrontationist attitude, the relationship with the BJP would even help them come together.

Karunanidhi said the DMK would have been part of a Jyoti Basu-led Third Front had it been formed last year but no initiative was taken by the CPM. A Third Front is said to have cropped up overnight now but he had high regard for Jyoti Basu. If he formed a Government, which was unlikely, ``itshould last a full term,'' just as any alternative Government formed by Sonia Gandhi should also be allowed to run its full term since ``frequent elections are not desirable''.