CHENNAI: DMK has started working on the formation of a prospective third front by trying to wean away some of the INDIA bloc constituents.DMK deputy general secretary and MP Kanimozhi Rajathi Karunanidhi met Trinamool Congress chief and former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee at her Kalighat residence in Kolkata on Thursday. This came after Kanimozhi’s meetings with Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackerey and NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule in Mumbai on Sept 12.DMK broke all ties with Congress since the latter walked out of its alliance to join the TVK-led govt in Tamil Nadu in May. A DMK leader said Kanimozhi has been tasked with reaching out to opposition leaders.“We are exploring the possibility of a third front without Congress,” the leader said.Kanimozhi’s discussions with these leaders have predominantly been on the proposed delimitation, though the broader idea is to bring them on board. Mamata has been particularly unhappy with Congress after the latter rejected her seat-sharing offer for the Oct 6 Nandigram and Rejinagar byelections.A senior Trinamool MP said, “Mamata Banerjee shares an excellent relationship with DMK chief M K Stalin. She also maintains very good ties with non-NDA parties and remains close to INDIA bloc members that are not allied with Congress. Today’s discussion was strictly between her and Kanimozhi. Anything said beyond that would be speculation.”NCP (SP) sources said the party leadership remains non-committal to DMK’s proposal. “DMK floated the idea of a third front, and a preliminary meeting was held. DMK is testing the waters with opposition parties with which it has a good equation, unlike Congress,” a senior NCP leader said.Meanwhile, chief minister C Joseph Vijay on Sept 9 named the TVK-led combine as Secular Social Justice Victory Alliance (SSJVA), which includes erstwhile DMK allies Congress, VCK and IUML. The new alliance will take on DMK and AIADMK in the upcoming local body elections in Tamil Nadu.(With inputs from Saibal Sen in Kolkata and Anurag Bende in Pune)
