Vaiko meets DMK chief Karunanidhi: An alliance on the cards?

Since MDMK general secretary Vaiko's visit to DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi rumours are doing the rounds that the MDMK chief and DMK might be looking at an alliance.

Many saw MDMK leader Vaiko's visit on Tuesday as an attempt to bury the decade old rivalry between him and the DMK president M. Karunanidhi.

DMK working president M K Stalin, Rajya Sabha party MPs, TKS Elangovan, RS Bharathi and others at DMK top leader's were there to receive Vaiko at the Gopalapuram residence.

His visit to Karunanidhi, after a long hiatus stretching to years, is coming in the backdrop of the DMK chief undergoing a minor procedure days ago to change Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastronomy tube. But political pundits saw this visit more as a sign that an alliance could on the card, especially given the instability in the state. 

Despite the merger between the EPS and OPS, the state is still embroiled in a crisis as now the AIADMK leaders supporting Dinakaran and Sasikala are threatening to make the government fall. Stalin already has written to the governor requesting for a no-confidence motion. The political buzz is that Stalin could make do more help and Vaiko would a worthy ally.

The MDMK chief was in the DMK before he parted ways over two decades ago from that party following differences with Karunanidhi. Vaiko had held several positions in the DMK and was also a Rajya Sabha MP representing that party and was known then as V Gopalasamy.

Karunanidhi has been ill since last year and out of action since then. DMK party affairs are being taken care by his son Stalin. 

For decades Vaiko and Stalin have been at each others throat, but on Tuesday both leaders were seen warming up to each.

(With PTI inputs)

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