JOIN US The development is considered significant that could set apace new political realignments in the run-up to the 2011 Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.
But it comes at a price that may be unpalatable to the PMK which was hoping to get its “rising star” and former Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss, son of PMK founder-leader S Ramadoss, an assured seat in the coming biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha from the State.
Debating the pros and cons of re-admitting the PMK, which has been brazenly opportunistic in switching state-level alliances between the DMK and its main rival AIADMK on the eve of major elections, the DMK’s “high-level policy making committee” on Sunday evening decided to accept Dr Ramadoss plea for reviving the electoral understanding with the DMK for the 2011 election and the coming elections to the Legislative Council in the State.
RS seat demand
However, in a shrewd move, the DMK meeting, presided by its President and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, put a rider to the PMK on its demand for allocating a Rajya Sabha seat now (for Dr Anbumani Ramadoss who will be retiring shortly from the Upper House). The DMK promised that it will fulfil that demand only in the next binennial elections to the RS due after the 2011 Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.
Despite Dr Ramadoss lambasting the DMK as “(PMK’s) first enemy” during the recent Pennagaram Assembly by-poll campaign, the key political resolution adopted by the DMK said it was willing to take a “let-bygones-be-bygones approach” and was again keen to do poll business with the PMK.
The DMK’s top decision-making body’s reasoned that it was good for all forces working for social justice to consolidate. But it also reminded the PMK that “both parties from now” should work to maintain this cordiality in the run-up to the 2011 Assembly polls, setting an “Agni Pariksha” for the PMK.
The PMK had fought the 2006 Assembly elections in the state as a DMK ally, but quit the UPA at the Centre just before the 2009 Lok Sabha elections and went back to the AIADMK-led alliance as Jayalalitha had assured it of an extra LS seat to the Vanniyars-based party.