CHENNAI: The veil of happiness and celebration in the Congress, after winning 34 seats in the Assembly elections, lifted on Saturday when its central emissary Veerappa Moily announced unconditional support to the DMK. State leaders of the Congress and the newly elected legislators were bitterly disappointed at not even being consulted in the decision to extend outside support to the DMK, in return for a similar arrangement in Pondicherry.

"We have lost a golden opportunity. In Government, we could have achieved so much. We could have helped develop our constituencies. The opportunity came after 39 years and we have thrown it away. This was the first time that no single party secured a simple majority on its own. We believe that the people voted for the DPA and a coalition. And yet we have chosen to buckle under the DMK's pressure," regretted a former Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president. His information was that the DMK leadership had got this arrangement sorted out with the Congress high command on Thursday night itself.

One of the Congress legislators, who was expecting to see at least a few of his colleagues in the new Cabinet, said: "Is there anything in wrong in wanting to join a Government in the State, with 34 legislators, when the DMK can be in the Union Cabinet with just 15 MPs?" He expected Mr. Moily to have a meeting with the new legislators, but that was not to be.

The frustration in the State Congress unit has become a routine feature during and after any election. The State leaders are seldom consulted in the finalisation of an alliance, in the seat sharing or even the selection of candidates. "It is because the party's national leadership itself undermines our importance that the allies - be it the AIADMK or the DMK - prefer to be in direct touch with the high command. Even in the matter of getting outside support now, the DMK tied it up with New Delhi last night itself," a Congress MP reasons. One of the Union Ministers also expressed shock at the decision.

There may be both advantages and disadvantages for the DMK in wanting to form a government by itself, with only outside support from its allies. The discussions in the Cabinet and the decision-making process remain within the confines of the party, with nobody else participating in it or getting to know the finer details. But it also entails taking full responsibility and no collective decision making within the Democratic Progressive Alliance.

There is no common minimum programme as yet and the DMK, which is in a minority, went to the people on its own manifesto, which it will be implementing.

The question raised by the Congress functionaries here is what is in it for the DPA constituents, when they have won a collective mandate for the alliance and the DMK has no majority on its own. More than with the DMK, the disappointment and anger of the Congressmen here appears to be more with their national leadership, which they say, has shown no interest in developing the party here and rebuilding it.

They at least want the liberty to play a "critical but constructive opposition," as a four-time MLA puts it.

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