Political interests are dear while maintaining alliances in a coalition government. The alliance of DMK of Tamil Nadu and UPA government led by Congress at the centre is under strain over some political matters. Following the announcement of assembly elections in Tamil Nadu and five other states, it is but natural for the political parties representing at the local and national levels to prefer their political prospects. Hence breakup of Congress-DMK ties doesn’t come as a surprise.
The decision of parting ways on seat-sharing issue was vital for Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi because his party members face the allegations of frauds and scams in the union ministry. Tamil Nadu’s main opposition ADMK’s President Jayalalitha looks at the Telecom scam as a great opportunity for her election prospects.
Since the action against former Telecom minister A Raja has been initiated Jayalalitha has been targeting corruption in DMK party and among its members. In public opinion the issue of scams is no doubt disdainful and detestable. People also feel that the elected representatives with their vices, besides tarnishing the image of the state and the region, hurt the sentiments of the voters who vote for them.
DMK has to directly approach the voters in the forthcoming elections in the state and it needs various ways and excuses to give explanations in order to dispel the wrong image generated among the people due to its tainted members.
ADMK chief Jayalalitha is distressed over being deprived of power for the last 10 years. This time she would target the opportunistic stance of Cong-DMK alliance, to bring the party back to power by any means. Cong-DMK alliance if viewed as a regional political need instead of on the basis of ideology then the breakup is also an opportunistic phase. To gain maximum support from the people in the election to be held on April 13 the two parties will have to strive on their own.
Congress which contested for only 48 seats in 2006 assembly elections has decided to contest on 63 seats this time. But DMK also needs to take care of its party’s existence and policy so it has not finally withdrawn its support from UPA but has announced to extend issue-based support to UPA.
Although Congress led UPA government doesn’t face majority problem in the parliament. If the 18 members of DMK party withdraw their support then also there are many parties to support UPA from outside and within. Besides Samajwadi party and Bahujan Samaj party several other parties are extending support from outside. As DMK had been the part of coalition government after 2009 general elections two out of 18 members had been given important portfolios. When a political party is in power its supremacy in political affairs is but natural. The oldest national party like Congress too needs to take care of its political matters hence it didn’t give a hoot to its Tamil Nadu ally when it faced election. As the DMK president M. Karunanidhi told that Congress by generating seat-sharing issue had paved way for the breakup. If the seats were shared according to DMK’s wishes allotting 63 seats to it then it would be in a mood to keep up alliance.
Karunanidhi claims that his party is aware of rules and etiquettes of alliance; it is working for country’s integrity. To promote secularism it has supported Congress at the centre in order to keep communal forces away from the power. It doesn’t seem proper to create a situation of rift with a party after maintaining the relation of alliance and friendship for the last 7 years.
Well the Congress is famous for creating issues; it is comfortable with its allied parties only till it gains personal advantage. When it sees any harmful aspect of the alliance it shows unconcern and ingratitude towards its allies. Though the Congress has not expressed surprise over the decision of Chief Minister Tamil Nadu and President DMK M. Karunanidhi it attempted to resolve the issue by sending Home Minister P Chidambaram to Chennai as its representative. If the matter is settled between DMK and Congress over seat-sharing issue ahead of election process then the short drama will end up without a climax before the election itself.
DMK and Congress had to go through some or other change to acknowledge the Tamil Nadu voters about their political stand. Politics is the game of possibilities. It is difficult, if not impossible; to survive in this field without expediencies and Congress is well aware of this art. It is nothing new in it if the political ties breakup.