PMK re-entry is no unmixed blessing to DMK

By M.R. Venkatesh

CHENNAI, JULY 26. The DMK-led National Democratic Alliance in Tamil Nadu, which became an omnibus 16-party front during the May Assembly elections, may well have to contend with ``asymmetrical relations'' vis-a-vis some of its constituents for some more time.

This in the wake of the admission of the PMK led by Dr. S. Ramadoss, into the NDA at the national level yesterday. The DMK heading the NDA here is yet to decide on taking PMK on board.

With the OBC Vanniyar-based PMK in conflict with the Dalit Panthers of India, which emerged as a key ally of the DMK in the Assembly poll after PMK had decided to fight the election as an AIADMK ally, Dr.Ramadoss' flip-flop now is not an unmixed blessing for the DMK.

Whether the DMK will let this `asymmetry' (of the PMK being part of the NDA at the Centre but not at the State-level) to continue till the September local bodies polls hinges on the attitudes of both the PMK and the DPI in the days to come.

DMK circles see the PMK's re-entry as a positive development as the immediate gain is for the `NDA bloc' in the Assembly-the PMK with its 20 MLAs' will take the opposition tally above the 50- mark-even if it is yet to be formally admitted into the front here.

There are ironic undertones in the DMK's response to the PMK's latest predicament. In a lighter vein, DMK sources see Dr.Ramadoss playing the prodigal son, after having burnt his fingers with the AIADMK.

They also see in these developments a manifestation of ``genuine federalism''. ``The NDA is so federal that one can walk out of it, fight an Assembly election opposing it and then rejoin the federation,'' DMK sources remarked in jest.

But more importantly, the sources maintain that if only the PMK and the DPI, a key ally of the DMK in the last Assembly poll, ``avoid conflicts, we will become a very strong combination in the northern districts''.

Thus, going by the `numbers game', the balance of convenience is in favour of the PMK coming back to the NDA fold at the State- level also, subject to the DPI being convinced.

With Dr.Ramadoss having demanded direct Central action against the police officials responsible for the ``high- handedness'' during the arrest of the former Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, here on June 30, closer PMK-DMK ties were on the cards.

The PMK, meanwhile, jumping on the NDA bandwagon at the Centre, has made its position similar to that of the MDMK, which is also governed by this `asymmetry' of being not part of the DMK-front in the State.

But there is a key difference. Dr. Ramadoss, unlike the MDMK leader, Mr. Vaiko, has reestablished his rapport with Mr. Karunanidhi, visiting the DMK president in jail recently.

The BJP leadership, which had been dithering about taking back the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal into the NDA, apparently put the PMK application on a fast track.

However, DMK circles see no contradiction, given that the Trinamool Congress was already split and that its leader, Ms. Mamata Banerjee had in the last Assembly polls teamed up with the Congress, main rival of the BJP throughout the country.

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Section  : Southern States
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