Political twist in Chennai as Modi visits DMK chief
First highlevel contact between BJP, DMK leaders since 2004
CHENNAI/NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met ailing Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief M Karunanidhi in Chennai on Monday, in what experts called a possible move by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to reconfigure its political fortunes in the southern state.
The meeting assumes significance for two reasons. This is the first time a top BJP leader, and the Prime Minister at that, has reached out to the DMK chief since the regional party walked out of the Bjp-led National Democratic Alliance in 2004.
Second, the BJP had so far been cosying up to DMK’S rival All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam which is riven by factional feuds. Monday’s meeting is seen as part of the BJP’S strategy to keep channels of communication open with both poles of Tamil Nadu politics.
“This is a clear signal that both sides are showing flexibility when the political situation is fluid in the state,” said Chennaibased political commentator Sadanand Menon.
“The BJP… has walked the extra mile to be a party to this optics. For the DMK, a party out of power for quite some time, it is an important political recognition.” The DMK and Congress party have been allies since 2004. So any deal between Karunanidhi’s party and the BJP could hurt the Congress in Tamil Nadu.
Modi drove to Karunanidhi’s Gopalapuram residence and inquired about the 93-year-old leader’s health in a visit that lasted about 20 minutes, sources said. Modi sat next to wheelchairbound Karunanidhi, and held his hands. “Met former Tamil Nadu CM, Thiru M Karunanidhi and enquired about his health .@kalaignar89,” Modi tweeted.
The meeting wasn’t on Modi’s agenda till Sunday night, although BJP sources said the Prime Minister’s Office was in touch with the DMK over the last couple of days. DMK’S working president MK Stalin, Karunanidhi’s son, who was traveling abroad, cut short his trip by a day and returned to Chennai to receive Modi.
Hours after the meeting, the DMK called off protests in eight districts scheduled on November 8 against the government’s recall of high-value banknotes last year.