PWA members can work out arrangement with Captain Vijayakanth

Chennai: DMDK leader Vijayakanth’s declaration of not aligning with the DMK has led to jubilation in the PWA camp which sees it as a setback to the DMK.

Vijayakanth’s decision will reduce the chances of the contest narrowing down to a straight fight between AIADMK and DMK fronts. A multi-cornered contest boosts the chances of the PWA in Cuddalore, delta districts and southern districts of Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Virudhunagar and Thoothukudi.

Further, PWA leaders are looking to brighten their prospects by coming to an arrangement with Vijayakanth, who wants to lead an alliance and be the Chief Ministerial candidate. The option of keeping the PWA intact and joining the DMDK alliance by accepting Captain as the ‘King’ is open for leaders of four parties.

Within the DMDK, functionaries who were rooting for a DMK alliance till now are hoping for an arrangement with the PWA as they feel it could give fighting chances for their party.

They also apprehend backlash from minority communities if they aligned with the BJP and cite the results of the 2014 Parliament elections when the DMDK lost all the 14 seats it contested in BJP alliance.

The PWA leaders have openly stated that they are ready to consider Captain as the Chief Ministerial candidate, while the BJP is hesitant to make such a declaration.

To top it all, DMDK functionaries feel that Captain is not sure about the BJP’s equations with rival AIADMK and suspects that the BJP’s central leaders have a soft corner for the AIADMK.