The ruling AIADMK’s proximity with the BJP has helped the DMK to rally opposition parties together.
For the resurgent Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the acquittal of its leaders A Raja and Kanimozhi by the CBI special court in Delhi in the 2G spectrum allocation scam cases is a morale-boosting victory for the party to get rid of the “corruption” tag which haunted it in three successive elections since 2011.
The CBI court’s verdict has come at a favourable time for the DMK when the opposition parties in the Tamil Nadu are consolidating towards it and the ruling AIADMK is in shambles following the demise of Jayalalithaa last year. Free from corruption stain, the DMK under the leadership of its working president MK Stalin would launch an effective offensive against AIADMK government which is reduced to a minority government after the disqualification of its 18 rebel MLAs owing allegiance to VK Sasikala-TTV Dinakaran faction. Once the Madras High Court decides on the petitions filed by the disqualified MLAs, the Edappadi K Palaniswami government would be asked to prove its majority on the floor of the House.
The ruling AIADMK’s proximity with the BJP has helped the DMK to rally opposition parties together. Apart from its allies Congress, IUML and MMK, DMK has got the support of MDMK, CPI (M), CPI and VCK in the RK Nagar bypoll. A senior DMK leader said that there is a good possibility of this grouping emerging as an electoral alliance for the subsequent polls. “Palaniswami government will certainly fail the floor test and the assembly election may come at any time next year. We will win the election whenever it is held,” he said.
When asked about the prospects of DMK joining hands with BJP, the DMK leader dismissed it saying, “There is no chance of joining hands with BJP. We are very clear on it.” He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling on party chief Karunanidhi last month triggered talks of such an alliance.
“This verdict is a moral victory for the DMK. It will improve the prospects of the DMK. DMK will be a much sought after ally and more parties will join its alliance,” political commentator Gnani Sankaran told DNA. On the prospects of DMK ditching Congress and joining BJP alliance, he said that the saffron party would be more interested to woo the DMK whose prospect is bright in the election. “You cannot rule out an alliance between BJP and DMK,” he said.
The corruption had become a major political plank for opposition parties, except for AIADMK and DMK, in the 2016 assembly election with both the major Dravidian parties caught in the corruption charges. After defeating DMK in the state assembly in 2011 and Lok Sabha polls in 2014 using the 2G scam, late AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa found herself targeted by opposition parties on corruption charges after her conviction and subsequent acquittal in the disproportionate assets case in 2014-15. After Jayalalithaa’s death last year, the Supreme Court in February this year upheld the conviction in the assets case and jailed her close aide VK Sasikala and two others.
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