Stalin’s alliance assurance helps Cong heave a sigh of relief

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M K Stalin’s commitment to an ideological alliance comprising the left parties has helped the Congress party heave a sigh of relief. The reassurance given by Stalin in a media conclave on Saturday has enthused the state Congress, which was surprised by the unusual bonhomie shared by Stalin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the inauguration of the 44th Chess Olympiad.

Congress insiders who did not wish to be named admitted on condition of anonymity that the CM’s assurance was encouraging, more so after it came in the backdrop of the ‘friendly’ exchanges between the CM and PM.

“Even AIADMK spokespersons have been publicly stating that there is something cooking in the ties between the DMK and the BJP. Our ally’s (DMK) treatment of the BJP has not been very rough of late. There is a palpable change in the DMK’s handling of the BJP. Probably, it could be for governance reasons. The newfound bonhomie between the DMK and BJP was debated in our inner circles, ” admitted a Congress senior, unwilling to be quoted.

“The DMK is aware that secularism and social justice is the plank on which they ought to fight the election. The public mood is against the BJP. The DMK will not go against the public mood. We see the smoothening of ties between the two parties as motivated by governance. The DMK does not want to political acrimony to affect the governance, ” the Congress senior added.

A state-level Congress functionary reasoned that the leadership of the DMK and Congress was strong and cordial as ever. “Stalin and Gandhis share an excellent rapport. In fact, the BJP has been pressurizing the DMK to snap ties with us. Stalin ignored the suggestions of the right-wing and renewed his commitment to the secular and social justice alliance repeatedly. The BJP plants such stories to cause a dent in the secular progressive alliance vote bank. Neither DMK nor the people will buy it. The ideological alliance Stalin referred to also includes Congress, ” the functionary added.