Vasan keeps options open on civic poll alliance

Responding to a query on whether TMC would join any alliance for the civic polls, Vasan told reporters that they would reveal their plan only after the announcement of election dates, as do other parties. “We have been working to go it alone even before October (civic polls were originally due in October 2016). We are continuing that work. The issue of forging an alliance would be decided after announcement of poll schedule,” said Vasan, who has been warming up to the DMK since the rout in Assembly election 2016. Rumours were abuzz in the months following the May 2016 Assembly poll that Vasan would call on Karunanidhi and formalise TMC’s pact with the DMK fold. However, Karunanidhi’s ill-health, plus pressure from Congress quarters and the deferring of the civic polls following Jayalalithaa’s demise indefinitely postponed Vasan’s rendezvous with the DMK’s nonagenarian.