It’s official: DMK eyes DMDK tie-up

Chennai: It’s no more a secret. DMK’s keenness to rope in DMDK for 2014 Lok Sabha polls is out in the open now. And sp­el­ling out the party’s intention was none other than DMK president M Karun­anidhi, who on Wednesday said he would be happy to have ‘Captain’ in his kitty.

When reporters asked about the chances of Vija­ya­kanth’s DMDK joining a DMK led third front, an idea suggested by VCK chief Tir­u­mavalavan, also a DMK ally, in a recent public meeting, Karunanidhi said here, “It was a sign of his (Tir­umavalavan’s) good in­t­e­­ntion. I will be happy if su­ch an opportunity arises.”

Karunanidhi’s invitation to the DMDK follows the ser­mon of Bishop Ezra Sargunam at Anna Ariv­al­ayam on Tuesday when he met DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin among others and detailed the deliberations of his meeting with the Vijayakanth the day before. Bishop Sargunam, a close friend of the DMK leadership, received a Christmas gift from the ‘Captain’ on Monday when he got the actor-politician to instantly respond to his invitation to join the DMK for the 2014.

Reacting to the Bishop’s call to accommodate another pilot in the cockpit (for the ensuing Lok Sabha polls) for a safer ride, Vijayakanth said that he would certainly consider the suggestion. Ironically, the same Vija­yakanth chose to keep mum when Gan­dhian-Cong­ress­man Tamilaruvi Manian, who donned the role of BJP’s political broker of late, met and persuaded him to accept Narendra Modi’s leadership.

A DMDK MLA preferring anonymity did not mind admitting that Vijayakanth was not as angry with the DMK as he was earlier. “We are confident that captain will take that good decision soon,” he said when specifically asked if Vijayakanth was willing to join the DMK fold now.

Alliance with the DMK would help take on the AIA­D­MK onslaught, another DM­DK MLA close to Vija­ya­k­anth said pointing out that they would need one of the Dravidian ma­jors to make Parli­am­ntary debut, which would take the DM­DK voice to farthest corners.