CHENNAI: The Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) has struck an alliance with Tamil Nadu's ruling All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).

MDMK general secretary Vaiko called on AIADMK general secretary and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa at her Poes Garden residence here on Saturday and together they announced that the MDMK would contest 35 seats in the May 8 Assembly elections.

Mr. Vaiko later told a press conference that despite the electoral ties with the AIADMK, the MDMK would be "part and parcel of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA)" at the Centre and would continue to extend issue-based support to the Manmohan Singh Government from outside just as the Left parties were doing. "We will convey our decision to the UPA chairperson at the appropriate time."

"Formidable alliance"

In a brief interaction with the media at Ms. Jayalalithaa's residence, the two leaders described the alliance as "formidable" and said they were confident it would sweep the polls. They said activists of the two parties would work wholeheartedly for each other's victory.

Ms. Jayalalithaa said: "We do not believe in turning back. We believe in looking at the future and the future is going to be glorious for the AIADMK and the MDMK."

At his press conference at the MDMK office, Mr. Vaiko said the AIADMK would win enough seats to form a government on its own. Under no circumstances would the MDMK participate in the government. A party panel to be formed shortly would hold talks with the AIADMK to identify the seats. The party general council would meet in Chennai on March 11.

He explained the circumstances that led to the exit of the MDMK from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA) and the clinching of the accord with the AIADMK.

Mr. Vaiko said DMK president M. Karunanidhi was a "prisoner of circumstances," subjected to pulls and pressures.

The party decided to quit the DPA as it was not sure whether Mr. Karunanidhi would be able to allot seats to the MDMK as per its wish list. Even if these seats were granted, the question arose whether the party cadres at the grass roots would work together, he said.

More than the allotment of seats, it was the treatment meted out to the MDMK over the past two years that hurt the party leaders and cadres. Even the announcement in Tiruchi on Friday was made in a "take it or leave" attitude.

In Tiruchi, Mr. Karunanidhi made it clear that his party would oppose the continuance of the MDMK in the UPA now that the party joined hands with the AIADMK. Quoting a Tamil proverb, he asked, "Will a person who does not listen to his mother, listen to a son?"

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