Conspiracy to lure leading MDMK functionaries, alleges Vaiko

CHENNAI: Unfazed by the exodus of senior leaders from his party, especially to DMK, MDMK founder Vaiko today said his party's strength lay in its cadre base as he claimed a conspiracy to lure top functionaries.

Responding to senior leaders including S Joel, MDMK District Secretary of Thoothukudi and others quitting the party to join DMK yesterday, Vaiko said he had no qualms about this.

Leader of the four-party People's Welfare Front, which includes CPI, CPI (M) and VCK, Vaiko said DMK was unable to digest the reception it had received among people and others and therefore was deploying all tactics to scuttle it.

"There has been a great reception (to PWF). Unable to digest this, DMK is deploying all strategies to scuttle it," he said.

The firebrand leader expressed 'shock' over DMK's 'secret' liasons with those who had quit MDMK and joined the M Karunanidhi-led party.

Incidentally, there was a "multi-cornered conspiracy" to lure senior MDMK functionaries with posts and other offers if attempts for an alliance failed, he said without naming any particular party.

In the recent past, senior MDMK functionaries have joined various parties including AIADMK,DMK and BJP.

"My movement and its cadre are my world. We have withstood grave challenges and will not budge to any of them. We will take forward this movement with more vigour," he said in a statement.

MDMK, floated by Vaiko upon his exit from DMK following serious differences with Karunanidhi in 1994, has witnessed a slew of senior functionaries walk out of the party.

These include Nanchil Sampath, Kumari Vijayakumar and N Masilamani.