The Congress has decided to support DMK nominee Kanimozhi for Rajya Sabha poll in Tamil Nadu scheduled on June 27, but has clarified that it would expect the Dravidian party’s support for the passage of Food Security Bill in Parliament.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday conveyed to DMK leader TR Baalu the decision to provide support of five Congress MlAs to DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi’s daughter. Sonia, whom Baalu had met two days back also, told the DMK leader that she would expect his party’s 18 MPs support for the crucial legislations of the UPA Government — Food Security and land Acquisition — in Parliament, sources said.
Though the DMK had exited the UPA Government earlier, the Congress is now confident that after the NDA split the political situation has changed and become favourable for the UPA. So, it is making overtures to various political parties to lure them to the UPA in future be it either through pre or post-poll alliances for the 2014 lok Sabha elections.
Under this strategy, the Congress first it gave “unconditional unilateral support” of its four MlAs to the JD(U) Government of Nitish Kumar during the trust vote in the Bihar Assembly and now it has offered support of its five MlAs to DMK in Tamil Nadu.
But DMK, which has 23 MlAs in Tamil Nadu, heaved a sigh of relief after the Congress support has brightened the prospects of Kanimozhi. But, she still faces stiff competition from DMDK candidate AR Elangovan. Four AIADMK candidates and its supported CPI nominee D Raja have smooth sailing in the biennial elections.
Meanwhile, Baalu also met Defence Minister AK Antony and provided a cheque of Rs 25 lakh as part of the DMK’s contribution for relief operations in flood affected Uttarakhand. Karunanidhi has also directed each of his MPs — 18 in lok Sabha and seven in Rajya Sabha — and MlAs to contribute one month’s salary for the relief operations.