Karunanidhi says he will be happy if a DMK-MDMK alliance was formed

Chennai: The stage appears to be set for a political realignment in Tamil Nadu ahead of the 2016 Assembly elections with DMK and NDA allies MDMK and PMK on Thursday sending out signals of burying hatchets with a PMK first family wedding providing the platform in bringing them together. [caption id=“attachment_1780509” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] DMK chief M Karunanidhi called MDMK chief Vaiko a ’long-time friend’. Agencies[/caption] After a gap of eight years, DMK treasurer MK Stalin and MDMK general secretary Vaiko, who broke away from DMK to form his party in 1991, met at the wedding of PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss’ daughter Samyuktha on Wednesday, a move welcomed by party chief M Karunanidhi on Thursday. Asked if the meeting will be a beginning for a new coalition, Karunanidhi told reporters that “I will be happy if it were to be a beginning (of a coalition).” Replying to another similar question, he said “I am happy, whichever way you want to take it, I am happy.” Welcoming a possible new alliance, he said a decision on new coalition will be firmed up at party’s top decision making bodies – the general and executive councils. Later, presiding over the wedding at seashore town of Mamallapuram about 70 km from here, Karunanidhi praised Ramadoss and said “the love we share for each other never diminished though we have had differences.” Ramadoss reciprocated the gesture saying he had learnt “hard work, management of time and party affairs,” from the 91-year-old leader.“There is no one to surpass him in hard work,” he said. Karunanidhi, in a positive gesture to his former party colleague Vaiko, described him as “a long-time friend.” “We are not enemies. We are long-time friends,” he said stating that he was ready to meet Vaiko. Later, Vaiko thanked Karunanidhi for the kind words and affection. Interestingly, he also had a chat with Stalin at the Madurai airport enroute to Guru Pooja celebrations of freedom fighter Pasumpom Muthuramalinga Thevar in Ramanathapuram District. Though the PMK and MDMK are in the NDA in Tamil Nadu, they do not see eye to eye on a host of issues and have openly criticised and even condemned the Saffron party on issues like alleged “imposition of Hindi.” Against this background, the meeting and the new found bonhomie assumes political significance and could be the trigger for efforts for a broader alliance led by the DMK. PTI