Tirupur (TN): Days after his meeting with DMK Treasurer M K Stalin triggered speculation about possible political realignment in Tamil Nadu ahead of 2016 Assembly polls, MDMK chief Vaiko today sought to downplay the development, saying too much was read into it.
An ally of NDA, Vaiko, who met Stalin at the marriage function of PMK leader Dr S Ramadoss's granddaughter last week, said it was out of political decency. Such meetings, which “symbolise good political culture and deceny” was common in north India, he said presiding over the marriage of Kabilan, son of senior party functionary and former Lok Sabha member, Erode Ganesamurthy at Kangeyam in the district.
Vaiko, who broke away from DMK to form his outfit in 1994, recalled some instances to drive home the point that the meeting was out of respect for rival party leaders. A chance meeting with AIADMK General Secretary Jayalalithaa last year during his campaign seeking prohibition in Tamil Nadu was one such instance, he said.
Similarly, many years ago, top Congress leaders greeted and had tea with him after he vehemently criticised them inside the Parliament. “I criticised them inside Parliament and they offered me tea after that debate. See the culture.” Stating that the media had “read too much into the meeting (with Stalin),” he said it was, however, the freedom of the fourth estate.
Urging party workers to work for Dravidian ideology which was being attacked from several corners, he said, “Man is mortal, ideology is immortal.”
On October 29, Vaiko and Stalin had a brief meeting at the wedding reception of PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss's daughter Samyuktha.
The meeting assumed political significance as they met just days after Stalin had strongly indicated at a broad alliance to unseat the ruling AIADMK. Also, the two leaders met after about eight long years.
DMK chief Karunanidhi, when asked if the meeting could be taken as a “beginning of a new alliance” said he would be happy if it were to be a “beginning”.
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”.
