The Hindu : Front Page : Activists of both parties will work for AIADMK's victory: MDMK

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 05, 2006

Front Page

Front Page

Activists of both parties will work for AIADMK's victory: MDMK

S.Dorairaj

"Signing of pact finest moment in State's political history"

TEAMING UP: Vaiko, general secretary, MDMK, with Chief Minister and AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa at her Poes Garden residence in Chennai on Saturday.

CHENNAI: "I endorse her view," said Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) general secretary Vaiko, when All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa referred to the oft-repeated dictum that there were "no permanent friends or foes in politics."

The one time bete noire of Ms.Jayalaithaa described the signing of the seat sharing agreement as "the finest moment" in the State's political history. Activists of the two parties would jointly take a plunge in the election battle with utmost confidence that the AIADMK would return to power, he said.

Ms.Jayalalithaa on her part said, "It feels great to be friends," when asked repeatedly on how could she share the election platform with the former Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) detenue. Just as Mr.Vaiko's white Mercedes Benz van, followed by as many as 20 cars carrying MDMK's top functionaries including party chairman L.Ganesan, zoomed into Poes Garden, activists raised slogans hailing the decision. Slogans such as "Long live Puratchi Puyal Vaiko!," "Thanmana Singam Vaazhga!"

Later, at a press conference, Mr.Vaiko said though the MDMK initially wanted to contest 35 seats to give representation to all its district units, it finally agreed to settle for 25. But Dravida Munnetra Kahagam president M.Karunanidhi wanted him to reduce the number by one or two more seats. But when the MDMK stuck to its claim, the DMK chief agreed to consider the demand, Mr. Vaiko said.

Activists of the MDMK overwhelmingly wanted to have ties with the AIADMK, Mr.Vaiko said. Experience showed that parties never compromised on their ideologies by forging poll alliances. The MDMK would not deflect from its 1994 position on the Eelam Tamils' issue.

The party would highlight various rollback measures of the State Government during the last one year, he said commending its "effective tackling of the flood situation." Asked how he could convince his mother who reportedly favoured the MDMK continuing in the Democratic Progressive Alliance, he said his family members never interfered in party affairs. The MDMK's demand on allocation of seats was based on its growth during that last twelve years, Mr. Vaiko said. To a query, he said the POTA was the creation of the then National Democratic Alliance Government and the AIADMK Government only implemented it. Asked if he would try to woo more parties into the AIADMK camp, he said, "That is not my job." He condemned the attack on scribes and lens men in Tiruchi.

Pact with INL

Hours after Ms.Jayalalithaa announced at her residence that more parties were likely to join the AIADMK-led alliance, seat-sharing agreements were signed with the Indian National League and the Indian Union Muslim League (Tamil Nadu.) The INL has been earmarked two seats and the IUML (Tamil Nadu) one seat.

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