DMK leaders are trying to chalk out alternate plans to compensate for the loss of about five to six per cent votes from the DMDK after Vijayakanth announced that they would be fighting it out alone.
The Deccan Chronicle has reported that options for alliances are limited with four of the usually available parties forming the People’s Welfare Alliance. This can however, pose quite a challenge as the DMK has burnt its bridges with the parties.
It had alienated the MDMK by its bid to break the outfit and humiliated the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi during the seat sharing talks in the 2014 Parliament elections. But, the party may look to get the smaller parties and caste outfits which have votes in specific areas or have clout with particular communities.
In the north, Thamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi has a good base in Cuddalore district.
Its leader T. Velmurugan had met AIADMK supreme J. Jayalalithaa and asserted that he continues in the AIADMK front. But, he is awaiting an official endorsement word from the AIADMK
In the south, the DMK could woo the Puthiya Thamizhagam which was in its alliance in the 2014 Parliament polls.
In the western belt, one of the weaker areas for the DMK, it has the option of forming ties with the Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi which is now open to an alliance with the DMK or AIADMK.