Search the Internet          Tips

Piqued TMC may settle for Third Front

N Sathiya Moorthy in Madras

The waiting game may be over for the Tamil Maanila Congress.

Egged on by an unwritten AIADMK deadline, and prompted by the DMK waiting-in-the-wings, the TMC election committee is expected to decide either way on the All India Anna DMK combine on Tuesday.

"It is our day today, and we will act decisively," says a senior TMC leader. Torn between the party's loyalty for the Congress parent and the AIADMK's ultimatum to come alone and take all 40 assembly seats earmarked for the two parties in Tamil Nadu, the TMC may still opt for a Third Front, and keep its DMK options open for a second stage.

"The party leadership is upset over the AIADMK offer, but a decision will be based on a majority view in the 15-member election committee," says the TMC leader. "We know time is fast running out on us, and we may have lost out our bargaining power, not just with the AIADMK, but even with the DMK, if it came to that," he adds, referring to the leadership's inclination for carrying the Congress, through thick and thin.

In this context, the TMC leader also refers to what he calls the 'overwhelming cadre-resentment' to the AIADMK's 'high-handed treatment of the TMC and the Congress, particularly Moopanar's leadership. "The very same cadres who favoured an alliance with the AIADMK only a fortnight earlier, now feel that Jayalalitha has not changed her attitude and approach. The TMC cadres also feel that this may not go down well with the voters, who may have been reminded of the AIADMK attitude during Jayalalitha's regime."

While a section of the second-line TMC leadership is still in favour of the party ditching the Congress parent in favour of the AIADMK-PMK combine, a majority seems to be veering round to the view that the cadres of the other two parties "cannot now be expected to work whole-heartedly for the TMC".

"Given Jayalalitha's frequent reference to the 1980 experiment when the Congress and the DMK worked at cross-purposes, ensuring the return of a demoralized AIADMK under the late M G Ramachandran, a repeat may not be ruled out this time," concedes a TMC leader. "Jayalalitha's repeated assertions in private that the AIADMK and the PMK could win the polls without outside help only strengthens our suspicions."

The TMC decision becomes imperative -- it has delayed one for close to a month now, which has also not gone down well with the voters -- what with Jayalalitha serving a near-ultimatum on the party. With the deal already struck with the PMK, the AIADMK would like to know the TMC position before allotting seats for the two communist parties.

ALSO SEE:

DMK woos Dalits to counter 'pro-Vanniar' AIADMK
PMK in the midst of TN muddle
No compromise on PMK in Pondy, says Congress

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report