Even as the line-up for the electoral battle in Tamil Nadu got ready, tempers have started flying by Friday. The DMK has issued a legal notice to Vaiko of the MDMK for a “baseless” allegation levelled by him against M Karunanidhi, the DMK chief on Friday.
Speaking to reporters at Madurai airport, Vaiko who is in an excited state after roping in the DMDK chief Vijayakant to the People’s Welfare Front , charged that the DMK and its president Karunanidhi had offered Rs 500 crore and 80 seats to lure Vijayakanth to its fold for the assembly elections scheduled for May 16. There were reports in a section of the media that Vijayakant may cast his lots with the DMK. A section of political analysts in Tamil Nadu were of the view that a combination of DMK, the DMDK and the Congress would be an unassailable combination. But by Wednesday Vijayakant signed a deal with the four-party alliance of PWF much to the disappointment of the DMK and the Congress.
In his interaction with the media at Madurai airport, Vaiko went further and levelled similar serious charges against the BJP, which too he said was ready to give huge sums of money, a Rajya Sabha seat and ministership to Vijayakanth’s party if he chose to stick to the NDA in the elections. When media persons asked Premalatha, wife of Vijayakant, about the charges made by Vaiko, she said she was in the dark about such charges and the question should be put to the person who made such allegations.
The charge against Karunanidhi upset the DMK which immediately issued a legal notice to Vaiko, himself a former leader of the DMK. The legal notice asked Vaiko to retract his statement within 7 days or face legal action.
“My client, Karunanidhi said he was shocked to hear the false and defamatory statement made by you at the Madurai airport before a large group of press and media today accusing him of offering money to Thiru Vijayakanth leader of the Desiya Murpoku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) for joining as an alliance party along with the DMK party,” the notice sent to Vaiko said.
“Your statement has been denied and controverted by the wife of Vijayakanth, Premalatha, who also said that no discussions were held between the DMK and DMDK regarding alliance as stated by you,” said the notice.
It is made with an intent to politically damage Karunanidhi, to defame and bring disrepute to him, the legal notice said asking him to retract his statement within 7 days. If Vaiko does not express regret and withdraw his statement, Karunanidhi will press civil and criminal charges against him, the notice has said.