Burying the past, MDMK leader Vaiko, last week switched sides to align with the AIADMK in the coming Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu in a sudden realignment of forces that is seen as a setback to the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA).
Ending days of speculation about his tying up with Jayalalithaa, who had jailed him under POTA for 19 months, Vaiko drove to the Poes Garden residence of the Chief Minister around noon and signed an agreement under which his party will contest 35 of the 234 Assembly seats.
After clinching the deal and posing for photographers, jointly holding the agreement with Jayalalithaa, he said “This is the finest hour in the political history of Tamil Nadu.”
Describing the new alliance as “formidable”, Vaiko said AIADMK will have a majority on its own to form the government. “The new government to be formed after the elections will be under your leadership,” he told her.
“It feels great to be friends. In politics, there are no permanent friends or enemies,” Jayalalithaa said when asked how she felt sharing platform with a former POTA detenu.
DMK chief Karunanidhi, declined to comment on the development in Tiruchirappalli, where he yesterday virtually served an ultimatum to Vaiko on his continuance in the alliance saying he could offer only a maximum of 22 seats and it was upto Vaiko to decide. Vaiko had demanded 25 seats.
For the DMK-led alliance, Vaiko’s decision comes as a major setback after the grouping’s spectacular victory sweeping all the 39 Lok Sabha in the 2004 elections, while for a friendless AIADMK it could be considered a major boost. Only a few days ago, the ruling AIADMK got its first electoral partner in Dalit Panthers of India which was given nine seats.
MDMK, a constituent of the ruling UPA at the Centre, has four MPs providing outside support to the government. Welcoming Vaiko, Jayalalithaa said the cadres of both the parties would work for the victory of each other. “The AIADMK will have individual majority to form the government,” Vaiko intervened to say.
She said issues like POTA were “matters of the past.” “We do not believe in looking back but looking at the future. We are meeting here on a positive note, on a positive matter and we will be making only positive statements,” she said adding the future was “glorious” for the AIADMK and MDMK.
MDMK activists burst crackers in various parts of the state to hail the accord. Vaiko had tied up with AIADMK in 1999 and 2004 Lok Sabha elections. He contested alone in the last Assembly polls.
Right from the day when seat-sharing talks began between the DPA constituents, the MDMK had been adopting a dilly-dallying attitude, leading the DMK Chief to virtually serve an ultimatum, saying Vaiko should take the offer of 22 seats or leave the conglomeration.
The MDMK had been demanding parity with the PMK on the plea that its strength was much more than the PMK and that it was the “number three” party in the state. The MDMK cadre had been opposing the tie-up with the DMK and was seeking a tie-up with AIADMK which had offered the party more seats.
As soon as news of the MDMK tie-up with AIADMK spread, DMK workers started pulling down Vaiko’s cutouts at the venue where the DMK party conference is in progress at Tiruchirappalli and set them ablaze.
Describing Vaiko as “ungrateful”, the activists claimed that they were paying the price for the hardship “we underwent seeking the release of Vaiko” (when he was detained under POTA in 2004).
Meanwhile, Mr. Tirumavalavan of the Dalit Panthers Party has also aligned with AIADMK. After months of discussions, Mr.Tirumavalavan signed the deal with Ms. Jayalalitha and signed a deal on 27th February, under which the DPI will be offered 9 seats.
Mr. Tirumavalavan attacked Mr. M. Karunanidhi accusing him of delaying a decision as he never wanted due respect and recognition for his party. When asked how two parties with opposite views on the Tamil Eelam question can come together Mr. Tirumavalavan replied that this issue will not be raised or discussed during the elections.
Ending days of speculation about his tying up with Jayalalithaa, who had jailed him under POTA for 19 months, Vaiko drove to the Poes Garden residence of the Chief Minister around noon and signed an agreement under which his party will contest 35 of the 234 Assembly seats.
After clinching the deal and posing for photographers, jointly holding the agreement with Jayalalithaa, he said “This is the finest hour in the political history of Tamil Nadu.”
Describing the new alliance as “formidable”, Vaiko said AIADMK will have a majority on its own to form the government. “The new government to be formed after the elections will be under your leadership,” he told her.
“It feels great to be friends. In politics, there are no permanent friends or enemies,” Jayalalithaa said when asked how she felt sharing platform with a former POTA detenu.
DMK chief Karunanidhi, declined to comment on the development in Tiruchirappalli, where he yesterday virtually served an ultimatum to Vaiko on his continuance in the alliance saying he could offer only a maximum of 22 seats and it was upto Vaiko to decide. Vaiko had demanded 25 seats.
For the DMK-led alliance, Vaiko’s decision comes as a major setback after the grouping’s spectacular victory sweeping all the 39 Lok Sabha in the 2004 elections, while for a friendless AIADMK it could be considered a major boost. Only a few days ago, the ruling AIADMK got its first electoral partner in Dalit Panthers of India which was given nine seats.
MDMK, a constituent of the ruling UPA at the Centre, has four MPs providing outside support to the government. Welcoming Vaiko, Jayalalithaa said the cadres of both the parties would work for the victory of each other. “The AIADMK will have individual majority to form the government,” Vaiko intervened to say.
She said issues like POTA were “matters of the past.” “We do not believe in looking back but looking at the future. We are meeting here on a positive note, on a positive matter and we will be making only positive statements,” she said adding the future was “glorious” for the AIADMK and MDMK.
MDMK activists burst crackers in various parts of the state to hail the accord. Vaiko had tied up with AIADMK in 1999 and 2004 Lok Sabha elections. He contested alone in the last Assembly polls.
Right from the day when seat-sharing talks began between the DPA constituents, the MDMK had been adopting a dilly-dallying attitude, leading the DMK Chief to virtually serve an ultimatum, saying Vaiko should take the offer of 22 seats or leave the conglomeration.
The MDMK had been demanding parity with the PMK on the plea that its strength was much more than the PMK and that it was the “number three” party in the state. The MDMK cadre had been opposing the tie-up with the DMK and was seeking a tie-up with AIADMK which had offered the party more seats.
As soon as news of the MDMK tie-up with AIADMK spread, DMK workers started pulling down Vaiko’s cutouts at the venue where the DMK party conference is in progress at Tiruchirappalli and set them ablaze.
Describing Vaiko as “ungrateful”, the activists claimed that they were paying the price for the hardship “we underwent seeking the release of Vaiko” (when he was detained under POTA in 2004).
Meanwhile, Mr. Tirumavalavan of the Dalit Panthers Party has also aligned with AIADMK. After months of discussions, Mr.Tirumavalavan signed the deal with Ms. Jayalalitha and signed a deal on 27th February, under which the DPI will be offered 9 seats.
Mr. Tirumavalavan attacked Mr. M. Karunanidhi accusing him of delaying a decision as he never wanted due respect and recognition for his party. When asked how two parties with opposite views on the Tamil Eelam question can come together Mr. Tirumavalavan replied that this issue will not be raised or discussed during the elections.
