The National Democratic Alliance, led by BJP in Tamil Nadu, got a jolt late on Sunday night when S Ramadoss, founder of the PMK, threatened to walk out of the rainbow alliance over allocation of some of the seats demanded by his party to Vijayakanth-led DMDK.
Though the BJP leaders in Tamil Nadu were in a celebratory mood on Sunday, under the impression that all issues regarding the progress of the alliance formation have been resolved, by Sunday night everything turned topsy-turvy and the alliance was on the rocks. The Dharmapuri meeting, where Ramadoss introduced his son and candidate Anbumani to the party activists, was conspicuous by the absence of flags of the other alliance partners including the BJP. The PMK founder also chose to ignore the existence of the other parties in the alliance throughout his speech.
Sources close to Dr Ramdoss told The Pioneer that efforts were on to pacify him. In addition to Anbumani, other family members were also speaking to the doctor to persuade him to reach an amicable settlement with the BJP. What infuriated the temperamental PMK founder was the action of the Tamil Nadu BJP leadership allocating three constituencies where the PMK has considerable presence to the DMDK.
There is wide-scale resentment among the cadre against the BJP leadership for “goofing up” the discussions with the alliance partners. “The PMK is telling a naked truth that the BJP showed undue respect and importance to the DMDK. They have a genuine grievance,” said a top BJP leader in Tamil Nadu.
The front led by the AIADMK is having a smooth sailing in the campaign so far. The party led by Jayalalithaa is contesting all 40 seats (39 from Tamil Nadu and one from neighbouring Pudussery) at stake. Jayalalithaa’s campaign is focussed on the ten year misrule of the Congress-led UPA at the centre, the Himalayan corruption charges against the DMK and other Congress leaders and the Manmohan Singh government’s indifference to the demands of the Tamil Nadu government which included action against Sri lankan Navy for its continued attacks on the fishermen from Tamil Nadu and the failure of the UPA government to constitute the Cauvery Water Management Board.
But the DMK-led Progressive Democratic Alliance is groping in the dark to zero in on an issue which it could present before the electorate. MK Stalin, the campaign in charge of the DMK looks very shaky and nervous while addressing election rallies. All he could tell is about the “misrule” of the AIADMK Government for the last three years.
He is silent on the Congress indicating his party’s willingness to play ball with Sonia Gandhi in the post-election scenario. The DMK has failed to justify its action allocating constituencies to A Raja and Dayanidhi Maran, both accused in the Spectrum Scam who had to quit the union cabinet following charges of massive corruption.
The DMK has been embarrassed further by Karunanidhi’s estranged elder son Alagiri who openly endorsed on Monday Narendra Modi for prime ministership. He also declared that there was a Modi wave all over the country.
The Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday released its first list of eight candidates from the State. The Roman Catholic Church sponsored AAP has jam packed the list with leaders of the Peoples Movement Against Nuclear Energy. S P Udayakumar, the self styled scientist has been fielded from Kanyakumari, while his colleagues Pushparayan and Jesurajan have been fielded from Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli. The AAP has said that the if voted to power the party would shut down the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant .
The lefts which are contesting 18 seats is expected to extend support to the AAP in remaining seats in Tamil Nadu. The Congress which is left high and dry by other parties may release the names of all its 40 candidates on Tuesday night.