The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Why the DMK is a special ally

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 20, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Why the DMK is a special ally

By V. Jayanth

CHENNAI, MAY 19. It had to happen sooner than later. Though the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) was trying to stay out of the new government, it has now been persuaded by the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, to join the Union Cabinet at the very beginning. The decision was taken after Ms. Gandhi called on the DMK chief, M. Karunanidhi, still camping in New Delhi.

From the moment it became clear that the Congress will be leading the next coalition government, the party has been trying to convince the DMK to join the government. On the very day the results were out, the former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N. Janardhana Reddy, was deputed by the Congress to meet Mr. Karunanidhi in Chennai and invite him to join the government. Yesterday, the CPI (M) leader, Harkishan Singh Surjeet, met the DMK president and raised the same issue, and today, Ms. Gandhi personally called on the veteran politician from Tamil Nadu to convince him.

All along, Mr. Karunanidhi had been maintaining that his party would decide on joining the coalition ``after some time'' and based on the government's ``approach'' to issues. Yesterday, he hinted that it may be a question of weeks or days. Today, he yielded to the pressure and agreed to join the Cabinet straightaway.

Congress and DMK sources explain that it is not just a question of joining the Cabinet or demonstrating ``solidarity and stability'' among the ``secular allies.'' A ``special relationship'' seems to be developing between the two. Both parties have willingly put their past behind them. The sources say that the DMK has acquired a special status because its decision to leave the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and forging a new front in Tamil Nadu may well have been the ``turning point'' in Verdict 2004. The fact that the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA) went on to win all 40 seats at stake in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry adds to the strength and made it possible for the Congress-led alliance to beat the NDA.

``Ms. Sonia Gandhi has been in personal touch with Mr. Karunanidhi all through and spoke to him over telephone several times during the campaign and after the results. She made two trips to Chennai to drive home that message and her meeting with our leader today was another demonstration of this partnership,'' explains a senior DMK functionary. He was also chosen to propose her name for prime ministership at a meeting of allies and she called on him today to explain why she could not accept the post, advancing convincing reasons too. She wanted the DMK to join the government to strengthen it, especially because she was not going to head it.

With the DMK's decision to join the government, instead of supporting it from outside, two of the Congress allies from Tamil Nadu will be joining the Cabinet. The PMK has already announced its willingness to do so. The two Communist parties have taken a national decision to keep out of the coalition and so too has the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK).

Over the next two days, discussions in Delhi will identify the portfolios to be given to the constituents of the United Progressive Alliance, even as the parties finalise their nominees in the Cabinet. The DMK is expected to get key economic ministries dealing with infrastructure and may want to retain Environment too.

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