Realignment of forces likely in Tamil Nadu

While Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa has chosen to boycott the visit of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to Chennai yesterday, the first signs of a realignment of forces became visible when Tamil Nadu's opposition leader M. Karunanidhi warmly greeted his old ally.

For the first time in 18 months after the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) snapped its ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party's Tamil Nadu unit, party president Karunanidhi yesterday had a meeting with Vajpayee during his day-long visit here.

Karunanidhi later told reporters that he did not discuss any political issue but only apprised him of the 'hardships' of the Cauvery delta farmers and demanded a meeting of the Cauvery River Water Authority.

The prime minister assured him that he would convene CRA meeting in Delhi after consultations with the chief ministers of riparian states.

The meeting between two leaders took place when Vajpayee visited the ailing union minister Murasoli Maran at Apollo Hospital. Karunanidhi said Maran responded when Vajpayee spoke to him. He said Maran's condition was 'better', but did not elaborate.

Asked whether he demanded the repeal of POTA, he said we will do it at Villupuram, in an obvious reference to the party's three-day conference beginning there on September 19.

Marumaralarchi DMKleader Vaiko, Tamil National movement leader P Nedumaran and journalist RR Gopal who are POTA detenus have been in jail for more than an year now.

The Prime Minister arrived in Chennai yesterday to preside over the 125th anniversary of the The Hindu newspaper.

Jayalalithaa, who has been touring the districts over the past few months, for her mass contact programme, left for Ooty, raising several questions in the background of speculation of an alliance between the BJP and the AIADMK as a prelude to elections.

There are unconfirmed reports that the AIADMK just may be prepared to give the BJP eight out of the 40 Lok Sabha constituencies from TN and Pondicherry. But Vajpayee's meeting with Karunanidhi may muddy that alliance. BJP President Venkiah Naidu was one of Maran's first visitors, followed yesterday by the Prime Minister drove straight to Apollo hospital from the airport to visit Maran.

The BJP has not reacted to Karunanidhi's thinly veiled threats last week, to leave the NDA over the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) and other disagreements over issues like introducing the Common Civil Code against minorities' opposition, or the proposed ban on cow slaughter.

The DMK on its part is also not precipitating matters in a hurry. Both sides appear to be waiting for elections, which will compel them to decide one way or the other.

– With PTI inputs