Unhappy over TNCC, P Chidambaram awaits call from DMK to kickstart poll campaign

Chidambaram is yet to start his campaign, while leaders of even fringe outfits are making every minute count ahead of what is tipped to be one of the toughest elections in the recent decades. The Harvard educated economist, who called the “free colour TV” DMK manifesto “hero of the poll” in 2006 and vouched for its commercial feasibility, has not uttered a word about even his own Congress manifesto released at Sathyamurthy Bhavan last week. 

Whispers in Bhavan and Anna Arivalayam corridors suggest that Chidambaram has not heard from the DMK leadership as yet. The former Sivaganga MP, who makes it a point to visit Karunanidhi, mainly ahead of election year, has not made that customary visit, or for that matter, has not even communicated with the high and mighty of the DMK. “We have not received a word from DMK. How could we campaign without being invited by them (DMK and its candidates)?” a close associate of Chidambaram blurted out, justifying PC’s conspicuous absence in the campaign. 

Incidentally, the former home minister who is embroiled in l’affaire Ishran Jahan, visited Sivaganga on Sunday, supposedly to design his campaign plan for the May 16 poll. “Whether they (DMK) invite or not, thalaivar will start his campaign by the weekend,” sources added. Ironically, very few in the Congress are even concerned about PC’s absense. “He may be busy addressing other pressing problems in New Delhi,” a state Congress leader requesting anonymity sarcastically remarked, in a veiled reference to the Ishrat Jahan and tax haven expose. 

Unsurprisingly, some DMK leaders, who agreed that Chidambaram could add value to the campaign, nevertheless felt that it may not be unwise for him to keep low this time considering the controversies he’s enmeshed in. Perhaps, that explains why Chidambaram had publicly censured DMK’s seat allocation and now delays the campaign to ‘Hamletian’ proportion.