Congress explores grand Tamil Nadu alliance with DMDK and PMK

NEW DELHI: Congress is exploring a grand alliance in Tamil Nadu for the 2014 LokSabha polls. After helping DMK revive a working relationship with it — by voting for Karunanidhi’s daughter Kanimozhi in the RS polls last month — Congress leaders are trying to stitch an alliance that would also include DMDK of Capt Vijayakant and PMK of Dr S Ramdoss.

A Congress leader said its emissaries are in touch with leaders of DMDK and PMK. The efforts gained pace after Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa’s hostile break-up with DMDK and PMK. The breakoff saw Jaya poaching on half a dozen DMDK MLAs and threatening to grab more. An equally inimical break-up with PMK happened after the state police arrested its chief S Ramdoss in connection with the Vaniyar-Dalit clashes. AICC has ensured “that line of communication with Vijayakant is open” despite turning down his request and voting for Kanimozhi in RS polls, the leader said.

“Once again, DMK, PMK, DMDK and Congress have come to share a common interest in Tamil politics. That shared interest is against the politics of Jayalalithaa. Hopefully, we will come closer ahead of Lok Sabha polls,” the leader added. Despite behind-the-scene moves, Vijayakant and Ramdoss have maintained that their respective parties would fight the next Lok Sabha polls alone. Even the DMK leadership prefers to maintain that Congress’ vote for Kanimozhi was not part of an alliance revival plan.

The DMK-Congress-PMK-Left pact won all 39 LS seats in 2004, and DMK-Congress alliance won 26 seats in 2009. In the last assembly polls, the AIADMK-DMDK-PMKLeft pact routed the DMK-Congress combine. DMK has 22% vote share against AIADMK’s 27.5%, but the outcome is determined by the alliance of the two rivals. Congress has 6-8% votes, DMDK 10% and PMK 4%. AIADMK is aligned with Left though Jaya maintains a cordial relationship with Narendra Modi. Vaiko’s MDMK is reportedly ready to join the AIADMK front.