CHENNAI, March 19 : Hopes of a repeat of the 2004, 40/40 performance in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry is shining bright before the Congressmen's eyes, even if not in the DMK's in Tamil Nadu. Congress leaders are sparing no effort, rather than the DMK, to maintain a similar alliance as in the 2004 election when the Democratic Progressive Alliance, led by the DMK swept, all the available LS seats in the region trouncing its rival the AIADMK which was completely isolated in 2004.
After confirming their alliance with the DMK, the Congress is engaged in roping in the PMK, while also sounding out the ideology-less DMDK led by film actor Mr Vijayakanth, which has shown 8 percent vote bank throughout the state, the same as Congress. Both the PMK and the DMDK have gone into a state of hybernation since then prompting the DMK leadership to announce that they would give out the list of their candidates and constituencies within two days.
Congress insiders say that as far as alliance numericals are concerned, it is understood that a combination of one of the two Kazhagams (DMK or the AIADMK) with the Congress and the PMK is a winning one in Tamil Nadu.
Add the DMDK and the parties in the DMK front can sail at ease through the election, which is Congress's current calculation. While the Congress has taken upon itself the task of wooing the PMK, the DMK had put on hold its seat calculations to wait for the outcome.
"No one from the PMK have officially held alliance talks with us," chief minister and DMK leader, Mr M Karunanidhi finally stated last week. However the presence of the VCK, a party led by firebrand Dalit leader, Mr Thol Thirumavalavan, known for his closeness with PMK leader, Dr S Ramadoss, has kept hopes alive of the PMK returning to the DMK fold.
"The PMK has (in recent times) stayed where the VCK has. So we hope they will stay with the DMK front in this election," Mr Thirumavalavan said after confirming his party's alliance with the DMK despite state Congress leaders objections to the VCK's presence for its pro-LTTE stance. The Congress on its part has been maintaining that they were in talks with the PMK.
While Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, incharge for Tamil Nadu in this election, told the media in New Delhi that their alliance with the PMK continues, state Congress leaders made it known that they were eager to have the party in the DMK fold. The PMK which remains distanced from the DMK has preferred to keep silent.
Sources in the know hint that the PMK is waiting for its bete noire DMDK, whose leader Mr Vijayakanth's drew derision from the PMK for his entry from the film world, to decide first as that party too is being wooed by the Congress.
"PMK and DMDK will not share the same alliance," political observers here have opined.
If the PMK's silence has so far been keeping the DMK's seat sharing plans on hold, the AIADMK is in no better position. Since the fast by AIADMK chief Miss J Jayalalitha demanding India's intervention to bring ceasefire in Sri Lanka, the Poes Garden residence of Miss Jayalalitha too is in wait for the PMK leader's arrival.
Meanwhile, the DMDK leader too is playing his cards close to his chest. “It is the Congress that wants the DMDK in the alliance," a DMK insider quipped. To have the DMDK in the alliance, the DMK has to swallow its unease and vice versa for the DMDK too.
