The time-tested ties between the DMK and the Congress is on the verge of collapse and there are strong indications from the Grand Old Party of dumping the Dravidian major and launching a Third Front. “The Congress High Command is thoroughly unhappy with the intransigent attitude of the DMK. It has so far offered as 20 seats while we have sought at least 25 seats,” a senior Congress leader told The Pioneer.
The leader said on condition of anonymity that one cannot rule out the possibilities of the Congress parting ways with the DMK. “For us self-respect is important than a few seats. We know well that the DMK is out to throttle us,” said the leader. He disclosed that Rahul Gandhi MP, who campaigned in southern Tamil Nadu for the last three-days returned to Delhi disappointed with the approach of the DMK.
Meanwhile sources close to chief minister Edappadi Palaniswamy told The Pioneer that there was no chance of V K Sasikala, TTV Dhinakaran and the AMMK getting accommodated in the AIADMK front. “Our alliance partners are the BJP, the PMK, the Tamil Maanila Congress and Puthiya Tamilakaam. We have kept the doors opened for Vijayakanth too,” said the source.
Rahul Gandhi drew unprecedented crowd during his three-day visit to southern Tamil Nadu which concluded late Monday evening at Kanyakumari. Thousands participated in all the public meetings he addressed in these districts. “What stood out this time was his mingling with the common man and this prompted more and more people to gather in all the venues,” said a security professional who had accompanied the leader in his campaign trip.
“We did not organise any crowd for Rahul Gandhi. The crowd turn out in all these places were spontaneous. It was a morale booster to the Congress cadre in the State. We ourselves were surprised with the ease with which he communicated and exchanged ideas with grassroot level workers and cadre. If the party could sustain this tempo, I am sure we will register impressive wins,” said C D Meyyapan, AICC secretary who accompanied Rahul Gandhi in his tour.
There is general agreement that the crowd turn-out for his meetings has surprised even the DMK leadership. But the DMK-Congress seat sharing talks remained inconclusive as the Dravidian major was not willing to make any compromise than what it had offered to the Grand Old Party, 21 seats. That all is not well within the two alliance partners was known for some time.
As the time for filing the nomination is drawing closer, there are talks of a Third Front featuring actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan, AISMK of another actor R Sarath Kumar and the Indian National Congress. Sarath Kumar and his wife Radhika called on Kamal Haasan and expressed their solidarity with the latter who has declared himself as the future chief minister of the State.
Wednesday saw V Ponraj, former technical assistant to late President A P J Abdul Kalam joining Haasan’s MNM. Ponraj, a former scientific officer at one of the DRDO laboratories was the technical assistant to the former president, he describes himself as scientific advisor to the President.
There were reports that another film actor -turned-politician Vijayakanth is likely to join either the DMK-led front or Haassan’s MNM. “The AIADMK has not responded to Vijayakanth’s demand for more seats. Chief Minister Palaniswamy and his deputy Panneerselvam were upset over the parallel discussions being held between Vijayakanth’s DMDK and the DMK, Vijayakanth is known for his simultaneous secret parleys with political rivals even as he holds seat sharing discussions with others,” said a senior AIADMK leader.
