DMK wary as Jayalalithaa plans trip to Delhi

CHENNAI: Amid speculation that the DMK's high-level committee meeting on Friday is likely to review its ties with Congress, chief minister and AIADMK leader J Jayalalithaa is planning a Delhi trip on June 13 during which she is expected to meet both Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and AICC president Sonia Gandhi. Jayalalithaa's plans are yet to be officially announced, but a meeting between her and Sonia Gandhi, if it takes place, could have significant political implications.

Official sources said Jayalalithaa would be accompanied by finance minister O Panneerselvam, chief secretary Debendranath Sarangi and other senior officials when she leaves for Delhi. "As the government has rolled out many freebies and welfare measures, Amma (Jayalalithaa) is trying to get some additional funds from the Centre ahead of the budget session. She will meet the PM and Sonia Gandhi," said a senior AIADMK leader.

With the Congress-DMK relations on the downslide, even the smallest move on the part of Congress and AIADMK to cosy up to each other could trigger a political upheaval in the DMK camp. Jayalalithaa is said to be keenly watching the developments in the DMK camp.

DMK sources said close family members of party president M Karunanidhi, including his son M K Alagiri, and some party seniors are trying to convince him not to make any drastic move at this juncture. Union ministers S S Palanimanickam and Napolean and a few other MPs have joined this section to press for DMK's continuation in the UPA government. Stalin, sources said, maintained a distance from the issue.

"It would be disastrous for the DMK to pull out of the alliance at such a time when we are at a disadvantage. It is also not advisable to lose our clout in Delhi by pulling out ministers. We told Kalaignar (Karunanidhi) this," a senior DMK leader told TOI.

But senior leaders said Karunanidhi is firm in his view that the DMK ministers should step down and the party should provide outside support. Upset over denial of bail to his daughter Kanimozhi in the 2G spectrum case, Karunanidhi sent senior leader and former minister Duraimurugan to meet her. Sources confirmed he met Kanimozhi in the Patiala House court on Thursday and conveyed a message from Karunanidhi.