The Hindu : MDMK wants DMK to lead walkout on NDA

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 27, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

MDMK wants DMK to lead walkout on NDA

By V. Jayanth

CHENNAI April 26. The MDMK appears ready to quit the National Democratic Alliance, but wants the DMK to lead the pack. The Congress and Left parties have made it clear to the main Opposition in the State that there can be no solidarity or unity on political issues unless the DMK and its allies come out of the NDA. Though the pressure is mounting on all sides, the DMK seems to be in no hurry to take a decision.

The DMK president, M. Karunanidhi, has been building up on the POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act) issue over the past few weeks and the Congress sees this development as a "window of opportunity" to wean the Dravidian party away from the "clutches of the BJP". But not all groups in the State Congress are keen on tying up with the DMK. There is, however, a feeling that if the party walks out of the NDA, there could be a change of scenario.

According to a senior MDMK leader, the party is now ready to leave the NDA, as the Centre and the BJP have "paid only lip-service" to its leader, Vaiko, who has been detained for nearly 10 months now under the POTA. Unless he wins his legal battle in the Supreme Court, there may be no way for him to emerge out of the prolonged incarceration.

But the MDMK functionaries are clear that the DMK must lead them out of the NDA. In the context of an "excellent coordination" now obtaining between the one-time rivals and Mr. Karunanidhi's leadership of the `withdraw POTA' campaign, the MDMK leaders believe that their future course is "inextricably linked" to the DMK moves. Hence the decision to follow the `elder brother'.

The BJP national president, Venkaiah Naidu, who was in the city today, categorically ruled out the repeal of POTA, though he continued to speak up against its `misuse'. The question before the DMK now, according to the Left parties, is: `Should it stick with the BJP to remain in power at the Centre?'

DMK's dilemma

Sources in the Left discount the theory that the DMK gains "protection" from the AIADMK regime by remaining part of the NDA Government. But the DMK does not want to deny that it has `benefited' from the Centre, especially in "times of crisis". Nobody in the party will underplay the assistance provided to the Union Minister, Murasoli Maran, receiving treatment in the United States. Mr. Karunanidhi has, however, committed himself to personally leading an agitation for the repeal of the POTA, if the Centre does not withdraw it on its own, say party sources. It remains to be seen whether the leadership will make this the issue to break away from the NDA.

There is no love lost between the State BJP and the DMK and with a change of guard expected in the Tamil Nadu BJP, this dislike could also provide an indication of the BJP's future course of action. But till now, it has no word from the central leadership to burn its bridges, even while keeping the door open to the AIADMK.

A senior Congress functionary says "We have built an excellent floor coordination with all Opposition parties in the legislature. We have joined the DMK in its agitations on people's issues. But we think the Left parties are right in insisting that the DMK sever its links with the BJP if it wants to build a new equation and strengthen Opposition unity, even outside the Assembly. The ball is in their court".

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