CHENNAI: The Opposition DMK, which is 20 MLAs short of majority in the House, together with its alliance parties, does not find the present political circumstances conducive for any attempt to make a comeback. But, it has a good opportunity to paint the rival AIADMK as a betrayer of Tamil interests, as the state government is reliant on the BJP government at the Centre for stability.
AIADMK needs to maintain good rapport with the Centre as the new government under O. Panneerselvam requires to steady itself and run the administration smoothly. The state government is facing severe financial crunch and wants financial support from the Centre to continue welfare schemes launched by Jayalalithaa. The BJP government at the Centre is not keen to disturb the present arrangement and facilitate a comeback for DMK. It is content with pushing O. Panneerselvam for the Chief Minister post for the present and is supporting stability and continuity in the state. In return, the AIADMK MPs could provide the much-needed support for the Union government in Delhi. The DMK ally Congress too is trying to build rapport with the AIADMK and its vice president Rahul Gandhi did not bother to visit Karunanidhi at Kauvery Hospital.
Party chief M. Karunanidhi, who returned home from Kauvery Hospital, is learnt to have discussed the current political situation with party treasurer M.K. Stalin and other senior leaders. The brief meeting is said to be an exchange of ideas about the present situation rather than a strategic meeting to chalk out concrete plans. The reliance of the state government on the BJP, gives an opening for the DMK to paint the AIADMK as a betrayer of Tamil Nadu on issues like the formation of Cauvery Management Board and jallikattu. The Centre had opposed the Supreme Court’s order to form the CMB and has failed to get the court’s permission for holding jallikattu.
DMK joint secretary of media wing, Thamizhan Prasanna, said “After the hospitalisation of Jayalalithaa, the AIADMK government had changed its stand on many issues including food security Act and Uday. She had strongly condemned the schemes saying that they were against state’s rights. On issues including jallikattu and Cauvery dispute, we will not allow mortgaging of Tamil Nadu’s rights for sticking to power. We cannot have a state government, which acts as per directions from Delhi and DMK will fight to safeguard the interests and rights of the state.”
