The DMK would extend support to the Congress to form a secular Government after the lok Sabha election, according to party chief M Karunanidhi. The nonagenarian leader who launched his campaign from Chennai on Wednesday said the DMK would support the Congress if that party comes forward to form a secular Government after the elections.
This is seen as a response to the plea by Union Finance Minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram who asked Karunanidhi on Tuesday not to support the BJP to form a Government at the Centre. Karunanidhi’s declaration is seen as a move to keep the Congress leaders from MK Alagiri, his estranged elder son, who was expelled from the party on Tuesday. The last couple of days saw many non-DMK and non-AIADMK candidates making a beeline to Alagiri’s house to seek his support for the upcoming elections.
The rationalist DMK chose Chindradripet, a Chennai suburb to lauch its 2014 lok Sabha election because of Vaastu and Raasi. This was announced by none other than Dayanidhi Maran, Karunanidhi’s grand nephew, the candidate for Central Chennai.
“The DMK had launched its election campaign from here 1996 and 2004. On both occasions, we swept the elections. That’s why we chose this venue as the launching pad of Karunanidhi’s campaign,” said Maran, who is facing serious charges of corruption in the multi-crore telecom scandal.
Karunanidhi (91), sounded tired and weak as he launched his last lok Sabha election campaign.He was forced to reschedule his campaign programme following the failure of M K Stalin, his second son and chosen heir to enthuse the party cadre. Stalin’s campign, which began on March 14 is yet to make any impact among the electorate as the DMK itself is a picture of a house divided.