Dhinakaran keeps cards close to his chest even as AIADMK, DMK stitch alliances

Tamil Nadu politics has witnessed hectic parleys over the past few days with the two Dravidian majors forming alliances with national parties for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The AIADMK, on expected lines, decided to join hands with the BJP, while the opposition DMK struck a pre-poll deal with its old ally, the Congress.

However, what keeps everybody guessing is the stand of rebel AIADMK leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran, who has maintained a studied silence over his pre-poll strategy. Dhinakaran, who formed Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) on March 15 last year, is keen to establish himself as the political heir of late AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa.

Reports suggest that Dhinakaran is not keen to go with any other party and that he would rather go it alone in the Lok Sabha elections. He has won his spurs in the RK Nagar byelections in December 2017, securing more than 50 per cent votes.

Dhinakaran, along with his aunt Sasikala—a close aide of Jayalalithaa—was expelled from the AIADMK as the party went through a protracted political crisis and rebellion following the death of Jayalalithaa. 

He, however, hopes that a considerable chunk of the party's grassroots workers, who are unhappy with the leadership of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami and Depuy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, would rally behind him in the elections.

The AMMK plans to highlight how both the Congress and the BJP, with whom the state bigwigs have formed alliances, have “stood against the interest of the people” of the state in various issues like Mullaperiyar, Cauvery and Mekedatu.

“We wanted to position ourselves as a strong regional party that safeguards the state’s interest like our Amma (Jayalalithaa) put AIADMK in the past,” Thanga Tamilselvan, propaganda secretary of AMMK, told a national daily.

Dhinakaran's party is, however, yet to come out of the legal wrangle. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court refused to grant the 'pressure cooker' symbol to the AMMK. The Delhi High Court had on March 9 last year directed the Election Commission (EC) to allot a common symbol, preferably that of a 'pressure cooker', and a name to the then AIADMK (Amma) faction led by Dhinakaran. The Supreme Court said if the High Court does not dispose of the pending case regarding allocation of symbol within four weeks, then the EC may proceed as per the March 9, 2018, order.

On Tuesday, the ruling AIADMK cobbled an alliance with the BJP and the PMK for the Lok Sabha elections, describing it as a "mega and victorious" combine amid indications that some more parties are set to be roped in. A day later, the opposition DMK stitched a similar alliance with the Congress. There are 39 Lok Sabha constituencies in Tamil Nadu and one in Puducherry.