Leaders of the four-party People’s Welfare Front on Thursday sought to warm up to DMDK leader Vijayakant, whom they had unsuccessfully projected as the Chief Ministerial candidate in the last Assembly elections, by joining his 65 birthday celebrations at the DMDK headquarters at Koyambedu here.
A cake cut on the occasion had an inscription describing Mr. Vijayakant as a “phoenix”.
Hinting at the need for continuing the PWF-DMDK alliance for the upcoming local body elections in Tamil Nadu, MDMK leader Vaiko said the PWF would face the civic polls united.
However, VCK leader Thirumavalavan was cautious and said, “The four-parties of the PWF will face the civic polls together. Mr Vijayakant’s position is yet to be declared.”
CPI State secretary R. Mutharasan and CPI(M) central committee member P. Sampath too joined the celebrations.
Curiously, the CPI(M)’s central committee had on June 24, after a review of the party’s performance in the Assembly elections, said, “The understanding with the DMDK and its leader Vijaykant (sic) was forged on the basis that he would be projected as Chief Ministerial candidate of the alliance. The projection of Vijaykant did not carry any credibility and it affected the prospects of the alliance.”
Mr. Vijayakant, however, did not speak to journalists on the occasion.
