Notwithstanding the announcement made on Sunday by DMK chief M Karunanidhi that his party would not have any alliance with either the Congress or the BJP, many Dravidian parties including the DMK itself are knocking at the doors of the BJP ever since it was made public that Narendra Modi would be the prime ministerial candidate of the party.
The crowd gathered at Tiruchirappalli in September 2013 for the rally addressed by Modi and the results of the four Assembly elections held recently, have led to parties like DMK, Vaiko’s MDMK, Vijayakant’s DMDK and even factions of Muslim league to send feelers for possible tie-ups with the saffron party.
Interestingly, KKN Sadakhathullah, former leader of the Indian Union Muslim league, made an appearance in last Friday’s Press meet addressed by Pon Radhakrishnan, BJP Tamil Nadu president, and declared his support to Narendra Modi.
But the RSS leadership has told the BJP leaders that the DMK should not be allowed in the National Democratic Alliance. The Sangh leadership is having strong reservation because of the 2G Spectrum scandal in which Kanimozhi, daughter of Karunanidhi is one of the prime accused.
The RSS top brass is also upset over the anti-Hindu posture of the DMK and other parties and demands made by Karunanidhi to demolish the Ram Sethu which is held in high reverence by Hindus all over the globe. They are also disturbed by the DMK moves to take control of various Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu.
Dr Subramanian Swamy and party general secretary Ram lal had conveyed the RSS stance to the BJP leadership. “How is it possible for the BJP to align with the DMK which does not lose a single opportunity to insult and humiliate the HindusIJ” RSS leaders from Tamil Nadu asked the BJP leadership. It is also said that Tamil Nadu BJP leaders like l Ganeshan who lobbied for a tie-up with the DMK has been told by the party chief himself to forget about Karunanidhi and his party.
A senior BJP leader from Tamil Nadu who is busy touring all over the State to beef up the party apparatus for the lok Sabha elections ruled out the possibilities of any tie up with the DMK. “The party cadre is having strong reservations in this issue. We cannot ignore it,” he told The Pioneer.
Though the DMK, leaders met senior BJP leaders to explore the possibilities of an alliance, it is said that they were told in no uncertain terms that the party was not interested for an alliance. This has to be read with Karunanidhi’s announcement to his party cadres that he has no contact with the present band of BJP leadership which has made it difficult for him to communicate with the right persons. This is seen as a climb down by Karunandhi who always used to describe the BJP as a communal outfit.
The DMDK and the MDMK too are trying for alliance with the BJP. But the BJP leadership is waiting to know their stance on crucial issues like the Save Ram Sethu Movement and the Tamil Nadu Government’s move to take over centuries old temples like lord Nataraja Temple at Chidambaram from the Hindus.
Feelers of the DMK and the MDMK recently met Kanchi Seer Jayendra Saraswathi and Art of living chief Sri Sri Ravishankar soliciting their help to get them an entry into the BJP bandwagon. Interestingly, these are the same leaders who demanded the arrest of Sankaracharya in connection with the murder of Sankararaman, the manager of a temple in Kancheepuram.
The DMK was an ally of the BJP and had enjoyed the fruits of power as a member of the National Democratic Alliance during 1999 to 2004. But it dumped the BJP and switched over to the Congress camp immediately after the announcements of the 2004 election dates. Till date the DMK has not given any reason for leaving the BJP fold.
Karunanidhi’s relations with the Congress leadership turned sour with the arrest and incarceration of Kanimozhi, his daughter by third wife Rajathi Ammal in connection with the 2G Spectrum Scam. Kanimozhi, who is a member of Rajya Sabha and an accused in the scam is out on bail after more than 100 days imprisonment in Tihar Jail.
With the DMK getting routed in the 2011 Assembly election, Karunanidhi’s only source of power was the UPA Government in New Delhi. But he snapped the ties with the Congress in 2013 March citing the UPA Government’s inactivity in the ethnic Tamil issue in Sri lanka. But the DMK chief had no qualms in seeking the help of the Congress in July 2013 to get Kanimozhi elected to Rajya Sabha.
Since it was known from early 2013 that the Congress was a sinking ship, Karunanidhi felt the urge to have an alliance with the BJP. With the DMK coming out of the UPA, the party is finding itself in a no man’s land. The AIADMK Government in Tamil Nadu is giving sleepless nights to the members of the Karunanidhi clan who are accused of involvements in land grabbing and katta panchayats (kangaroo courts).
Interestingly, the BJP has made it known that it is open for an alliance with the PMK led by Dr S Ramdoss. The Vanniyar dominated party’s respect for Tamil language and culture and its demand for total prohibition has made the PMK a favorite not only of the Sangh Parivar but even many women’s organisations.
Since the AIADMK has made it known that it would contest all 39 lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu, there is no possibility of any pre-poll alliance between the BJP and the AIADMK. As things stand on Sunday, Tamil Nadu is all set to witness triangular contests in the lok Sabha elections. The Congress, which ruled the State uninterrupted till 1967 has become a motley crowd of factions and leaders.