Chennai: The MDMK on Sunday bridged its 11-year-long distance with its parent outfit DMK by pledging support for its candidate, N. Marudhu Ganesh, in the prestigious battle to RK Nagar assembly constituency. This may boost Opposition unity ahead of the December 21 by-elections.
This is the first time that the MDMK is extending support to the DMK in an election after it parted ways with Tamil Nadu's principal opposition party ahead of the 2006 Assembly elections. Since then, the parties have maintained a cool distance from each other, but Vaiko and DMK working president MK Stalin had worked to sort out differences and stitch up a political understanding.
“MDMK's high-level committee has unanimously decided to extend its support to the DMK in the by-elections to Dr RK Nagar assembly constituency. MDMK has the responsibility and duty to protect the interests of Tamil Nadu and the Dravidian movement and the decision was taken in that context”, MDMK chief Vaiko told reporters after the meeting on Sunday morning.
Though the MDMK neither has a strong base nor vote bank, political observers feel the support would boost the morale of the DMK-led Opposition, which is trying to put up a united front to defeat the ruling AIADMK that is facing its first acid test after the demise of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa.
They said though MDMK’s support may just help the DMK add a few hundred votes in its kitty, the support should be viewed from the prism of Opposition parties ‘ganging up’ against the ruling party. There is also political superstition that the combine with which Vaiko puts its weight behind always finds itself on the losing side.
Already, the Congress, VCK, CPI and CPI (M) have supported the DMK's candidate in the R K Nagar, which is headed for a six-cornered tough contest with actor Vishal also throwing his hat in the ring.
Stalin immediately welcomed Vaiko's decision and predicted that the fall of the ‘horse-trading regime’ would begin with the DMK's victory in the bypoll. The Opposition Leader had sought the support of all political parties and had in fact met Vaiko informally a week back and broached the topic.
To a question on whether the support to DMK would continue, Vaiko said this can be taken “as a starting point” of the cordial atmosphere between the two parties.
“There is a need to teach a lesson to the AIADMK regime which has lost the trust of the people”, Vaiko said, lashing out at the ruling party for hobnobbing with the BJP.
