MADURAI: DMDK leader Vijayakant’s decision to ‘go solo’ has evoked mixed reactions from the party functionaries and aspirants who have sought tickets to contest the Assembly elections. While a section of them are upset over the decision, many others are happy about the move.
The party leadership, a DMDK leader told Express on condition of anonymity, has axes to grind with all suitors who were desperately wooing them this time around. “Captain is not happy with the DMK, Left and the BJP for different reasons. The Left parties had supported the AIADMK in the Rajya Sabha election in 2013. In that election, the DMDK too had contested but failed to get support from any,” he recalled.
In the case of the DMK, he added, the bigger party and its leaders tried all that they could to fetter and finish off the new-comer between 2006 and 2011. “Now because they want to win this election and return to power, the DMK is desperate for us to join them. But that will not benefit our party in any way. After coming to power, they too will treat the DMDK as done by the AIADMK,” he said.
The sore point with the BJP is its attempt to bring in the PMK, a party with which the DMDK and its leadership have an uneasy relationship right from the beginning. “Even when we all were part of the NDA, PMK leader S Ramadoss said openly that he had cast his vote for NOTA. Despite its attitude that affected the members of the coalition, the BJP still tried to forge an alliance with that party this time as well. That is one of the reasons why Vijayakant is unhappy,” he said.
Party sources told Express that their main concern is that all allies would treat the DMDK as a disposable partner whom they can throw away after the immediate purpose was served.
However, there are some grumblings as well, particularly from those who were hoping to contest and win this Assembly election. “It is very difficult to win this election by going it alone. If the party fails to win an honourable number of seats, people may not accord importance to the party thereafter,” said a leader.