Roping in parties into alliance proves challenging job, feel AIADMK insiders

CHENNAI: The fast approaching Lok Sabha elections has left the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and its leadership in a spot of bother.

Being a dominant political force in the spectrum of Dravidian land, the AIADMK, is facing a tough challenge to form a strong alliance ahead of the parliamentary polls.

Though the party withered several storms in the political gambit since the demise of former AIADMK supremo and the late chief minister J Jayalalithaa, the party and its present leadership has to prove its mettle in forming a formidable alliance and exhibit its prowess in the Lok Sabha poll that is three to four months away.

In 2019, the AIADMK led the front comprising the BJP, PMK, DMDK, PT and a few other smaller allies. The party leaders called its former ally, the BJP, as its Achilles heel and attributed the election debacles for its ties with saffron party and its policies of hyper-nationalism and unitarian agenda that was alien to the political landscape of Tamil Nadu and its Dravidian ideology of secularism and social justice.

Party insiders said that the cadre were excited to unchain the party from the BJP and its influence. They expected a change of fortune after their announcement of ending its ties with the BJP on September 25 last year. They were confident of making inroads into the DMK-led front to form a new alliance under Edappadi K Palaniswami’s leadership. However, it is gradually fading as no parties, including its former allies, showed any interest to be part of the AIADMK front. The situation will turn even worse if the BJP plays its cards and forms an alliance of its own.

Expelled AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam and AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran have overtly expressed their willingness to join the saffron party, which is already snapping at the heel of the AIADMK, while it will also attract a few other smaller parties to its front.

“As of now, there is nothing (alliance talks) happening. In fact, we decided to end the ties with the BJP after holding informal talks with a few of the political parties, including the allies in the DMK front. They all welcome it. We anticipated that they would join our alliance. But, they developed cold feet,” said a senior leader, preferring anonymity.

He continued that the leaders of the many parties have also been “scared” of the BJP following the raids on DMK MP and former Union minister S Jagathrakshakan’s properties.

Now, the AIADMK leadership preferred to wait and watch. “We expect one or two entities in the DMK front to join us, if they are not given decent number of seats by the DMK. We are also in touch with our former allies PMK, DMDK and other smaller parties. But it’s too early to predict an alliance,” he said and alluded that their alliance depends upon the exit of parties due to disgruntlement in the DMK front.

Former AIADMK MP KC Palaniswamy opined that the AIADMK should go alone in the LS polls and prove its worth instead of looking for alliance.

Senior journalist and political critic Tharasu Shyam said that the PMK is “the key master” of the AIADMK alliance. “If PMK joins hands with the AIADMK, it will attract many other smaller parties and put up a strong fight and even win a couple of seats in the western belt. If it decides against it, it will be tough for the AIADMK that also lost a significant vote share in southern districts,” he said. He also ruled out a split in the DMK front, as it was intact and comfortable in its present form.