Inconclusive alliances point to multi-cornered fight

While anti-incumbency and differences between influential leaders has fueled uncertainty in the AIADMK-led by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and BJP coming together, acrimony between the leadership of the DMK and the PMK was the spoiler in the rival camp.

A sizeable number of seniors in both the BJP and the AIADMK seem to be averse to them forging an alliance for the Parliamentary polls, lending credence to fears that not all was well between the national and regional party in power at the Centre and state respectively.

If sources in the ruling dispensation are to be believed, EPS, through an influential source in a neighbouring state, has reiterated to the BJP high command that it would be wise to have a post-poll alliance. 

In fact, sources in the know in both parties said that Lok Sabha deputy speaker M Thambidurai was not the sole voice of dissent and even a few national leaders in the Saffron party suspect that there could be a groundswell in favour of the rival DMK-Congress alliance if ruling BJP and AIADMK come together in the state for the Parliamentary elections.

Political commentator Ravindran Doraisamy says; “It is premature to confirm alliances, but the chances of the AIADMK (EPS-OPS) and BJP coming together are less. 

It will do more harm than good to the alliance.” It has been reliably learnt that the push was more from the state BJP unit and a minor section of the AIADMK to them facing the elections together. 

However, a few optimists in the AIADMK and BJP hope that the differences would be ironed out and apprehensions of some in both parties addressed before forming a grand alliance comprising the DMDK and the PMK.

An enthusiastic PMK was understood to have got its overtures rejected by the DMK despite engaging Congress general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad to convince the Dravidian major. 

PMK, after failing to convince Stalin even using DMK treasurer Duraimurugan, has nearly settled for an alliance with the ruling AIADMK which was not far from wooing Vijayakanth’s DMDK that has constituted a committee on Thursday to hold seat sharing talks with allies.

Stalin has conveyed to Congress president Rahul Gandhi in no uncertain terms that there was no space for the PMK in the front which has Thol Thirumavalavan’s VCK to drum up support among Dalits. Unsurprisingly, the DMK front has more to offer to spin doctors who suspect that the Congress has cast its net wide for Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) leader Kamal Haasan who could add star power to the campaign.

Even the DMK, sources said, was not disinclined to the Congress partnering with Kamal and sharing a seat or two from the national party’s share.

The BJP might have nowhere else but to look up to superstar Rajinikanth should the AIADMK courageously spurn the advances of the saffron brigade. Rajinikanth could be saving grace for the BJP only if the actor stops playing hide and seek and works up courage to hit the campaign trail this time, which appears to be a possibility worth betting one’s bottom dollar on.

Elsewhere, in AMMK, TTV Dhinakaran has only GK Vasan’s Tamil Manila Congress to have alliance with now. Dhinakaran, who is closely observing the developments in rival AIADMK camp, should have to bank on his campaign to get anywhere close to be a force to reckon with.