Former DMK Minister K.N. Nehru on Saturday caused a stir in political circles by suggesting that the party should go it alone, instead of with the Congress, in the local body elections.
Mr. Nehru was apparently expressing his displeasure over a Congress functionary’s reported statement that they would seek a good number of seats in South Chennai as part of the DMK-led alliance, which had achieved a massive victory in the recent Lok Sabha elections.
Speaking at the party’s protest demonstration on the drinking water crisis in Tiruchi, the party’s Tiruchi south district secretary said he would tell his party president that “if we are to be of use to the people, we should contest the local body election alone. How long can we remain the palanquin bearers? We have been doing so for long.”
However, Mr. Nehru qualified his statement as his personal views and not that of the party. He affirmed that he would abide by his leader’s decision.
Without naming anyone, Mr. Nehru said, “When we were in alliance with the Congress, people like Mayura Jayakumar continuously criticised the DMK regime. They spoilt the relations between us and the Congress. Yet, we worked for them as per the alliance dharma in the recent elections and all have won.”
Only leaders should speak about seat sharing and not all and sundry. If they vie with one another in their ego fight and claim that they would get 50 or 80 seats, where would the DMK members go? Mr. Nehru wondered. The party must go it alone at least in Tiruchi, he said.
Speaking to The Hindu later, Mr. Nehru clarified that he had made the remarks only in “response to their statements”. “I only said I will convey my views to my party leader that the DMK should contest the maximum number of seats,” he said.
