The DMK-BJP bonhomie | Focus Tamil Nadu

Over the past week the biggest talk in political circles in Tamil Nadu has been about a newfound bonhomie between leaders of the DMK and the BJP. What triggered this and will relations between the two parties grow stronger?

Two factors have contributed to this talk about the DMK and the BJP getting closer. First, the decision of Chief Minister MK Stalin to attend the At Home reception or tea party hosted by Governor RN Ravi on Independence Day. And second, an official event to launch a commemorative coin in memory of former Chief Minister and DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi on the occasion of his birth centenary.

A couple of days prior to Independence Day, the DMK’s allies led by the Congress had announced a boycott of the Governor’s party. The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K Selvaperunthagai, among other things, accused the Governor of consistently trying to obstruct the functioning of the democratically elected Government in the State. He said the Governor had also expressed numerous statements that are not in line with the sentiments of the Tamil people.

However, on Independence Day, Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu, regarded as the spokesperson of the State Cabinet, surprised the DMK’s allies by announcing that Stalin will attend the Governor’s tea party. He said Stalin holds the post of Governor in high regard and would continue to accord due respect to it. He contended political opinions are different from the positions of the Government.

His statement about the Chief Minister holding the post of Governor in high regard rattled many of those rooted in the DMK ideology because the party’s founder CN Annadurai had famously equated the gubernatorial post with that of a goat’s beard questioning their very necessity.

What came as a greater surprise was that Stalin chose to attend the At Home reception just a day after the Governor charged that the Dravidian ideology was part of a "break India" gang and that they will not succeed.

How has the opposition AIADMK reacted to all this? How were the past relations between the DMK and BJP?

Script and presentation: D. Suresh Kumar
Video: Thamodharan B.
Production: Shibu Narayan