DMK-PMK split signals political realignment

LOOKING FOR A NEW PARTNER: PMK founder S Ramadoss is known to shift political sides ahead of polls.

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Keywords: UPA, PMK

Chennai: Two United Progressive Alliance (UPA) partners in Tamil Nadu have parted way.

The Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam (DMK) has ended its alliance with the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) that could mark the beginning of a political realignment just ahead of the upcoming General Elections.

On Tuesday the DMK's top brass met in Chennai and decided that it was time to end their political alliance with Dr Anbumani Ramadoss's PMK.

"We cannot continue an alliance with a partner who has insulted us and hence it is with sadness that we announce the end of this alliance. Will you ask for their removal from the UPA? No we will not," DMK chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi said.

The PMK with it's 18 MLA's had often criticised Karunanidhi's government and the final end to the uneasy alliance came after a series of provocative speeches by a former PMK MLA.

While the DMK has snapped its ties at the state level the party says it will not ask for the PMK's ouster from the UPA.

So Dr Ramadoss will cling on to the Health Ministry for the moment.

But PMK founder S Ramadoss is known to shift political sides ahead of an election and he could now get closer to All India Anna Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam's (AIADMK) J Jayalalithaa.

He's already getting ready for a full-fledged war with the DMK.

In his statement S Ramadoss says, "We are not sad that the DMK has taken this decision as it is not a surprise. Now the Lakshman Rekha (limit) called an alliance does not constrain us from raising peoples issues and peoples cause."

That means that the Congress will now have to decide on how long the PMK can continue as a UPA ally.

"The DMK President M Karunanidhi has just made this announcement. He has also said that that he not going to insist for the ouster of PMK at the national level," Congress spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Jayanthi Natarajan said.

Jayalalithaa's party, which is strong in southern Tamil Nadu, could be interested in an alliance with the PMK, which has its base in northern Tamil Nadu.

And the DMK's break up with the PMK could mean the beginning of political realignment ahead of the General Elections.