Chennai, Feb. 11: Even as it conducts back channel negotiations to rope Vijayakanth-led DMDK into its fold, the Opposition AIADMK has stitched together a rainbow alliance in the south by bringing together various small outfits representing different castes and religions.
The AIADMK, which has strong backing from the influential Thevar community, lost the 2006 Assembly polls after the DMK-Congress alliance made inroads in its strongholds like Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Madurai and Thoothukudi districts. AIADMK candidates lost to their rivals by thin margins.
Besides its loyal ally MDMK, which has a considerable support base in the southern districts, the AIADMK has CPI and CPM in the bag. Ms Jayalalithaa’s party has so far brought outfits like Manithaneya Makkal Katchi, Muslim outfit TMMK and K. Krishnasamy-led Puthiya Tamilagam into its alliance.
The AIADMK has also wooed actor Karthik, who used his clout among Thevar youth to play spoilsport in the last polls. Another Thevar leader, N. Sethuraman, has already pledged support to the AIADMK. Sources said negotiations are on with actor Sarathkumar, who is from the Nadar community.
“All these parties may seem small from a state-level perspective but they have considerable support in the southern districts. Even a thousand votes matter in the Assembly elections,” said a former minister, recalling Ms Jayalalithaa’s visit to Kanyakumari for Christmas celebrations, ostensibly to woo minorities.
On the other hand, the ruling DMK has no major party in the alliance except the Congress though the PMK and VCK may prove helpful in the northern and Delta districts.
“Our welfare schemes have reached the masses but in caste conscious south TN, we need to strengthen the alliance to take on the resurgent AIADMK,” a minister observed.
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