Ending days of uncertainty over its electoral strategy, the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) of actor Vijayakant on Thursday said it would join hands with the AIADMK in seeking to oust the DMK regime in Tamil Nadu.
A three-member DMDK election panel opened formal talks with the AIADMK – the first sign that Mr. Vijayakant's five-year-old party is also turning to alliance politics. So far, the actor-politician has been maintaining that his alliance was “only with God and the people”.
“We want to oust the DMK regime in Tamil Nadu. Therefore, we are with the AIADMK,” DMDK presidium chairman Panruti S. Ramachandran told reporters at the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's headquarters here after a 75-minute meeting.
Preliminary talks on seat-sharing between the two parties had begun. “The talks were cordial and the sharing of seats will be decided soon,” Mr. Ramachandran said.
He said the people of Tamil Nadu wanted a change of government.
To fulfil the people's aspirations, our leader Vijayakant also wants all opposition parties in the State to unite to trounce the ruling party at the hustings.
Asked whether his party was concerned over the number of seats, Mr. Ramachandran said, “What we are concerned with is the DMK government's exit.”
To a question on whether the DMDK would join the government in the event of the AIADMK-led alliance getting elected to power, he said, “We have already announced that we will not seek any accommodation in the ministry”.
Voice of people
When a reporter pointed out that Mr. Vijayakant had said many times that his party would not have any tie-up with other parties, Mr. Ramachandran said, “The voice of the people is the voice of God. Now, people want the DMK ousted from power and hence we are trying to forge an alliance.” He was confident that such an alliance would be “victorious”.
While the DMDK panel consisted of Mr. Ramachandran, the party's State youth wing secretary Sudeesh, and treasurer Sundarrajan, the AIADMK committee comprised its treasurer O.Panneerselvam, headquarters secretary K.A. Sengottaiyan, and election wing secretary Pollachi V. Jayaraman. Meanwhile, Mr. Vijayakant greeted Ms. Jayalalithaa on her 63rd birthday.
