Split in DMDK-PWA-TMC bound to happen post polls

Chennai: Ever since the DMDK-PWA-TMC combine suffered a humiliating defeat, speculation was intense that the alliance would crumble sooner than later. Tamil Maanila Congress chief G.K. Vasan has become the first person to publicly announce that his party just had an “electoral understanding” with the DMDK-PWA, dropping enough hints that the alliance is over after the polls have ended.

“We aligned with the DMDK-PWA after recognising the need for an alternative front in Tamil Nadu politics. Though we contested as one alliance, we had released separate election manifestos. So, the question of whether the alliance continues or not does not arise,” Mr Vasan told reporters.

He also said his only goal was to strengthen the TMC in the next two months ahead of the local body elections since the party is “capable of winning some seats” on its own.

The DMDK, which headed the alliance with its leader Vijayakanth projected as CM candidate, is also exploring options since the results were announced of quitting the alliance and charting its own course. DMDK cadre have been quite vocal in their demand that the party should come out of the alliance and contest the local body elections on its own.

Several political parties of the alliance had openly said that their cadre were not able to gel with those of the DMDK, thereby pinning the blame for the loss on the DMDK. Mr Vijayakanth has been interacting with his party cadre and district secretaries on ways to resurrect the party

TMC chief Mr Vasan’s comments on Monday might set the ball rolling for the split of the alliance that scored a mere 6 per cent votes. Though Mr Vasan dropped enough hints about his party’s stand on continuance in the DMDK-PWA combine, he was not straight in his answer, drawing criticism from his former colleague S.R. Balasubramanian.