Chennai:
Dual headlines emerged from a meeting of senior leaders of the DMK in Chennai today - firstly, MK Alagiri was absent, signalling that he remains upset with his father and party chief M Karunanidhi; secondly, the DMK session went easier on the Centre than anticipated.
"We are in no hurry to topple the UPA government," said the party's general secretary Anbazhagan. He also appealed to party cadre, "don't have any sibling rivalry or any other family feud. Our leader and I get hurt", in a tacit reference to the reported sibling rivalry between Mr Alagiri and his younger brother MK Stalin.
The DMK last week quit the UPA, after demanding that India should accuse Sri Lanka of the "genocide" of ethnic Tamils at the UN's Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva. The exit from the government was allegedly shaped by Mr Karunanidhi's younger son, Mr Stalin.
Today, the DMK stand was more modulated, with leaders reiterating that India should move a strong resolution against Sri Lanka in Geneva. They also want a meeting of leaders of Commonwealth countries in Colombo later this year to be cancelled, failing which it says India should boycott the session.
While these strategic moves were being decided, Mr Alagiri was in Madurai. "Am I the only one skipping the DMK executive meet?" he asked, countering reports of a family feud.
But sources have confirmed that he is furious with his father and Mr Stalin for not consulting him about the exit from the UPA.
Insiders say that the gentler tone heard from the DMK today suggests party is not averse to returning to the UPA fold ahead of the national election next year. That could depend on whether it is able to partner with another regional party. The DMK is also concerned about the impact a hostile relationship with the Centre could have on the ongoing corruption trial of two of its leaders, A Raja and Mr Karunanidhi's daughter Kanimozhi.