With just weeks to go for the Election Commission to announce the dates for assembly polls in Tamil Nadu, among other states, major political parties in the state are in hectic parley in an effort to cobble up winning alliances.
The only alliance that seems to have been properly cemented is the People’s Welfare Alliance (PWA). The important parties in the alliance include MDMK led by Vaiko, Dalit party VCK led by Thirumavalavan, CPI and CPI (M). The leaders of the alliance even posed for a selfie on Monday morning amidst regular doubts being raised over the continuation of the alliance.
Wooing the DMDK
Vijayakanth’s DMDK is the party that is the most sought after for the 2016 polls. Though the PWA had tried to convince Vijayakanth to join them, the effort seems to have been nearly abandoned with Vijayakanth not showing any interest in joining the alliance.
Sources in the DMK and BJP have confirmed that they are in talks with ‘Captain’, but he has not shown any indication of who he will go with.
“It won’t be on first-come-first –serve basis. He has certain demands. He hasn’t made any demands to us directly, but we know it will come. He will decide by the end of the month,” a DMK leader said.
There is also a buzz in political circles that a top BJP leader like Prakash Javdekar is slated to meet Vijayakanth or his brother-in-law LK Sudheesh soon to talk about the alliance.
DMK and Congress
Sources say that Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad spoke to DMK chief M Karunanidhi last week, and is keen that the parties should come together this election.
“The leaders and cadres of both the parties have no qualms contesting together. The bad blood between both the parties, especially on the Sri Lankan issue, is now a thing of the past,” a DMK leader said.
Though the DMK-Congress alliance looks very plausible, some leaders in the DMK like MK Stalin are not averse to a tie-up with the BJP. A DMK-DMDK-BJP alliance is what they aim.
“The DMK may be ready for an alliance with the BJP, in fact many BJP leaders in the state may also endorse such a tie-up, but no one knows if PM Modi will agree,” a BJP leader told TNM.
So the DMK is looking at two scenarios: DMK-DMDK-Congress or DMK-DMDK-BJP. Smaller parties like Krishnasamy’s Puthiya Tamizhagam and IUML will also go with the DMK.
What about the AIADMK?
For now, the AIADMK seems confident that it can take on other alliances and is not in talks with any major party. Jayalalithaa has the support of Sarath Kumar’s AISMK and the MMK.“The party will have tie ups with small groups especially in the Kongu belt like the Kongunadu Makkal Desia Katchi. The only relatively big party that Amma is likely to have an alliance with is GK Vasan’s Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar). That too only if he agrees to contest in the number of seats she allots,” an AIADMK leader said.
The revival of the NDA
Though the BJP has initiated talks to revive NDA, making the NDA a powerful force depends on one factor – Vijayakanth’s nod. If Vijayakanth refuses to join the NDA, the BJP would be left with no big partners except the PMK, and other smaller outfits like IJK and Gounder groups.
PMK may have to go alone
Anbumani Ramadoss’ aspirations of becoming the next Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu are still intact. The party might also opt to go with the NDA alliance if DMDK is also a part of it. If the BJP cannot get the DMDK, then joining the NDA alliance will make no sense for the PMK, and they will have to go alone.