Hailing the DMK as a “stable partner” of the UPA, the alliance’s presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee launched his campaign from Chennai on Saturday, even as RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav announced in Patna that his party would back “Dada”.
After the ceremonial exchange of silk shawls for the cameras and the warm handshakes with Kalaignar in his CIT colony bungalow, the former finance minister sported a broad smile telling the reporters he was hugely hopeful of getting the support of the other UPA partner as well, the unpredictable Mamata Banerjee.
“DMK is a stable partner of UPA-1 and UPA-2. Therefore, it is quite natural that I have started my campaign with the blessings and support of Dr Karunanidhi and from Chennai itself,” said Mr Mukherjee, whose landing at the airport, his drive into the city, the arrival at the DMK patriarch’s residence, the meeting of Congress “voters” at Satyamurthi Bhavan and the subsequent engagements were all celebrated in grand style, rare in Congress affairs in the Dravidian state.
Reflecting the special warmth that he enjoys with their thalaivar, having been Congress chief Sonia Gandhi’s emissary on many occasions, the DMK brass arranged a high-octane reception for Mr Mukherjee at the CIT show, which literally kickstarted his presidential campaign.
Even the Prime Minister’s passing through the city en route from Puducherry to the capital went almost unnoticed when compared to the song and dance and the thousands of posters that greeted the “future President of India”. That was not an empty boast as the numbers in the voters’ college are clearly favouring a comfortable ride for Dada up to Raisina Hill.
His confidence was loud and clear in the manner he responded to his opponent P.A. Sangma’s statement that being a tribal and a Christian, he believed in miracles and hoped there would be one happening in his favour. “There is no scope for any miracle happening,” he retorted. “After all, it is a matter of numbers. Therefore, there is no question for any miracles. I do not believe in any miracle.”