Chennai: The DMK-Congress combine launched its election campaign from Central Chennai. However, it was a very different Karunanidhi on stage.
The DMK chief chose to side step all the issues raised by AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa in her opening spell. Instead he picked just one issue - the Sethusamudram project to highlight the flip flops of the AIADMK and its differences with its new allies.
Blaring film music with improvised lyrics greeted the DMK's star campaigner as he was wheeled onto the stage. Kickstarting his campaign 48 hours after his arch rival Jayalalithaa, Chief Minister Karunanidhi was expected to respond to her scathing criticism of his government's performance.
Jayalalithaa had also accused the DMK chief of staging one drama after another over the plight of Tamil civilians trapped in the war in Sri Lanka and doing precious little to bring about a ceasefire. But Karunanidhi just chose to talk about Sethusamudram.
Karunanidhi said the AIADMK had promised to work for the Sethusamudram project in his 2001 manifesto. But in her present manifesto, Jayalalithaa has vowed to scrap it.
"In 2001, the project was sweet for her. In 2004, it was still in good taste. But in 2009 it has turned bitter? What is the reason for this?" said Karunanidhi.
Jayalalithaa's allies - the MDMK and PMK - have been strong supporters of the Sethusamudram project. So in what seems like a clever attempt to drive a wedge in the AIADMK-led alliance, Karunanidhi has chosen to harp on the differences between its constituents.