Chennai: Even while the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi appears keen to go back to the DMK fold, most of the Dravidian party's district secretaries are keen to strengthen the party's individual vote base and not in a hurry to form alliances as the Parliament elections are a long time away.
The mood in the DMK is surprisingly upbeat despite a defeat in the Assembly elections and the functionaries feel the party has almost won the polls. Except for the western districts in the Kongu region and a few southern districts which stood between the party and a victory, people's support had gone up, one of the functionaries said.
“Barring the DMK, all other opposition parties have been wiped out and the people have elected us as the only opposition bloc. We have emerged stronger and the other smaller parties are fighting for survival. It is not known, how many of those parties will stay afloat till the Parliament elections. So, the DMK needs to strengthen itself without thinking of alliances now. Anyway, the Parliament elections are three years away and there is no need to take a decision now. I am not commenting on ties with a particular party and speaking generally”, he said.
Besides, the DMK had won 49 of the 89 seats in the northern region in the 2016 Assembly elections and the support of VCK which too is mostly present in the same region, may not add much to the DMK's chances. The party functionaries are also cautious about triggering a polarisation of votes in the Vanniyar belt.
Commenting on the VCK move, political analyst A. Marx said the entry of VCK into the DMK fold would be difficult given the caste dynamics in the northern region. But, a few leaders in VCK have good rapport with the DMK leader's family. He said “The VCK is using the excuse of communal politics to to move towards the DMK and if needed to break its ties with PWA. There is no sudden change in the activities of the 'Hindutva forces'or the attitude of the AIADMK after the Assembly elections. The AIADMK does not have an alliance with the saffron party”.
The VCK in a recent resolution changed its position of fighting both the AIADMK and DMK and singled out the ruling party for attack, besides promising to build a broad-based secular alliance.
