Jail for Kani could strain DMK-Congress relations

Even as both the Congress and the DMK maintain that their alliance is strong, ties between the two parties will come under strain if Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's daughter and party MP Kanimozhi is jailed in the 2G- spectrum case. Aurangzeb Naqshbandi reports.

Even as both the Congress and the DMK maintain that their alliance is strong, ties between the two parties will come under strain if Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's daughter and party MP Kanimozhi is jailed in the 2G- spectrum case.

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"If she is arrested and jailed, it will be difficult to maintain the same level of relationship the two parties are sharing as of now," Congress sources familiar with TN politics said.

But, a lot will depend on the outcome of assembly elections, the results of which will be announced on May 13.

Congress leaders suggest that the DMK and the AIADMK are placed neck and neck and the poll results could go either way. But the fact remains that the DMK is likely to be more dependent on the Congress to sustain itself in power.

DMK is fighting lesser seats than it did last time — 119. In case the DMK is voted out in TN, the party would not like to be out of power both in Chennai and Delhi.

"If defeated in assembly elections, DMK will not give away the power it is enjoying at the Centre… The dynamics of power politics will overtake electoral politics but there certainly will be tension in relations," a Congress leader said.

The pros and cons of Kanimozhi's possible arrest were also discussed at a Congress core group meeting chaired by party president Sonia Gandhi at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's 7, Race Course residence on Friday evening.