Jayalalithaa snubs allies; possibility for a Third Front?

Chennai, Mar 18: The political situation seem to be warming up in Tamil Nadu ahead of the upcoming Assemble Elections that promises to have a lot of fireworks. With the DMK-AIADMK battle turning ugly by the day, yesterday saw a new turn of events. The Opposition allies cried foul and went on a rampage at the treatment meted out by Jayalalithaa's AIADMK snub towards them.

The AIADMK had released a list of candidates and constituencies counting to 160 that ignored the allies leading to major agitation among them. They also burnt the AIADMK's leaders effigy in protest. The party was confident of bringing defeat to the DMK especially when their image was dented by the 2G spectrum scam that has rocked the country.

With the threat of the Third Front looming in Tamil Nadu, the elections really becomes the one to watch out for with discussions on who will side with whom. With hectic parleys between parties, today saw state leaders of the CPI, the Forward Bloc, the Puthiya Thamizhagam and the MMK meet at the CPM state committee office. After the discussion they then proceeded to the DMDK office to discuss the strategy with Captain Vijayakant, who is touted as the game-changer in the TN elections, to further discuss plans to establish the third front.

Vijayakant, however said that the matter would be thought out and a decision to be taken today. Jaya also postponed her campaign tour to accommodate the views of allies and their dissenting views.

The snub was also meted out to the MDMK who had partnered with Jaya for long and had contested from 35 constituencies togeather with AIADMK last elections. This time around they were given a single-digit offer that they saw as a cold-shoulder attitude.

The recent turn of events must have made the DMK a happy lot. After a public debate and spat between the DMK and the Congress on seat-sharing issues, problems in the Opposition will bring some cheer to them.

OneIndia News