DMK leaders upset with Cong move after Pudukkottai loss

The DMK high command, understandably, was upset with the national party going public against it. If sources in the DMK are to be believed, top brass in the party were angered by the Congress issuing a near tell-all statement a day before the indirect elections. A DMK functionary, who did not wish to be named said; “Was he (Alagiri) instructing his party councilors to jump the ship? The statement did not look like a ventilation of frustration. It seemed as if the state Congress had advised its councilors to make their own decisions, even if it be against the alliance interest.”

Probably, the statement had served the purpose in Pudukkottai, the DMK functionary opined, citing the victory of the AIADMK in district panchayat chairman poll despite the DMK having a comfortable majority there. “As much as poaching by the AIADMK, cross voting had cost us in Pudukkottai,” he remarked. “Would they (Congress) have won nine out of 10 without our support in the last Lok Sabha elections? Imagine their tally in the LS without the nine seats. If we had been as angry then as they are now, their plight would have been different,” argued a party leader requesting anonymity.

“Even in civic polls, we worked for them. It is unfair to call it violation of alliance dharma after we did so much for them. Who would give them vice chairman posts for winning one seat?” he added.

Significantly, Alagiri had understood the damage caused by the statement. “That Alagiri did it to pacify the Congress cadre was not acceptable. Even Chidambaram had seconded the views of Alagiri, subtly. It was a well thought out action. How often have Alagiri and KR Ramasamy issued a joint statement?” argued a DMK insider.