CHENNAI: Efforts to explore a possible understanding between arch-rivals DMK and the AIADMK to thwart TVK leader C Joseph Vijay reportedly failed due to strong opposition from senior DMK leaders.
Sources said senior party figures, including deputy general secretary I Periyasami, and MPs Kanimozhi and A Raja, told the leadership that any move to back the AIADMK would dilute the party's ideology and political identity.
Reacting to reports of a possible DMK-AIADMK understanding, Kanimozhi termed them as speculation and declined to comment directly. "I cannot react to speculation. What the AIADMK says, I cannot respond to that," she told reporters.
On the issue of government formation in Tamil Nadu, Kanimozhi said, "It is the people's mandate, and in a democracy that is the most important thing," a remark political observers interpreted as an indirect signal towards supporting the TVK, which emerged as the single largest party in the election.
Sources added that the DMK made last-minute efforts to persuade its allies, including the CPI, CPM and VCK, not to support TVK. However, the talks did not succeed.
Meanwhile, the AIADMK briefly explored possibilities of staking a claim to form the government. After meeting AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, Rajya Sabha MP M Thambidurai said discussions were under way and expressed hope that the party could return to power.
"So many discussions are going on. I cannot say anything now. We hope good things will happen. My party and my leader will come back. There is a public sentiment that AIADMK should come to power," Thambidurai said.
As neither the DMK nor the AIADMK has the numbers to form the government, the TVK is closest to the seat of power after the party broke the deadlock by securing support from the CPI and CPM.