Karuna's birthday message: Parties 'colluded' to deny DMK a victory

DMK chief M Karunanidhi today blamed other Opposition parties of Tamil Nadu for what he called facilitating a "back door entry to power through short cut" for the AIADMK and rued that his party lost the opportunity to capture power by a whisker.

 

"Though TN parties had continuously condemned the 2011-16 AIADMK government's high-handedness, irregularities and anti-democratic activities, a back door entry to power through shortcut was facilitated," he said without naming any political party.

 

Karunanidhi, who will turn 92 tomorrow, told his partymen in his birthday message "some parties, were bent on preventing DMK's victory come what may."

 

His comments are viewed as a reference to, among other things, the DMDK-PWF-TMC alliance which led to a split in votes through the front itself came a cropper.

 

Belying expectations in the run-up to the polls, an electoral alliance between the DMK and DMDK never saw the light of the day. Such a situation was perceived as advantageous to the AIADMK.

 

Also, MDMK chief Vaiko, who remained steadfast in forging an anti-AIADMK, anti-DMK front was blamed by DMK supporters as working as a "B-team" of the AIADMK.

 

DMDK’s former Kanyakumari (West) unit secretary S Dinesh who quit the party in April and joined DMK (opposing DMDK's decision to join the PWF front) had said, "Captain Vijayakant Front-PWF is functioning as a B-Team of the AIADMK and I cannot associate myself with that alliance."

 

Against such scenarios witnessed in the run-up to the polls, the DMK patriarch said his party lost the opportunity to capture power in TN "by a whisker."

 

He pointed out that party, however, went on to win as many as 89 seats, a "historic" number for any opposition party in the State.

 

 Also, DMK treasurer and son MK Stalin was set to become the Leader of Opposition, he said.

 

Recalling the "sacrifices" of his party for Tamil language, culture and the people, he said," let us work untiringly, I invite you with love."