Chennai:
DMK's Rajya Sabha candidate and party chief M Karunanidhi's daughter Kanimozhi visited the state Congress office in Chennai today to thank the former ally for supporting her candidature for a second term in the Upper House. She also presented shawls to Tamil Nadu Congress Chief Mr Gnanadesikan and his team of five MLAs who have assured to support her. The Rajya Sabha elections are slated for Thursday.
Although the DMK had quit the Congress-led Central government three months ago, alleging that the party did little to ensure UN action against Sri Lanka for alleged human rights violations against Lankan Tamils, the Congress yesterday assured its support to the DMK, which did not have enough numbers to ensure Ms Kanimozhi's victory.
"I came to thank the Congress for their support," Ms Kanimozhi said today. When asked whether this would revive ties the two both parties, she said, "You are asking the wrong person."
DMK has just 23 MLAs against the required 34 members to ensure Kanimozhi's victory. Though two other parties, the Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam and the Puthiya Tamizhagam had extended support of their two MLAs each, it's Congress' support that has ensured her return to Parliament.
Six Rajya Sabha seats from Tamil Nadu fall vacant next month. Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's AIADMK and the Left together have enough numbers to win five seats. The tussle for the sixth seat is between Kanimozhi and actor Vijayakanth's DMDK's Ilangovan. Though his party won 29 MLAs in assembly polls, seven of them have rebelled and aligned with ruling AIADMK scuttling the party's chances to make a debut in the parliament.
Today's bonhomie between estranged parties has triggered speculation that the Congress and the DMK could revive ties before the Lok Sabha polls due next year.
The DMK had been unhappy for months before it finally snapped ties with the Congress this year, not least because its leaders like A Raja and Ms Kanimozhi had to go to jail in the 2G spectrum scam. Ms Kanimozhi is out on bail.