Ever since DMK president M. Karunanidhi called an emergency meeting of the party’s high level committee on Friday without even mentioning the agenda, speculation is rife that the octogenarian, who is seething with anger at the Congress, would pull out his ministers from the UPA government.
Sources close to him say he is firm this time on taking extreme steps to protect the party’s “dignity and self-respect”, unlike in the past.
But second-rung leaders argue that snapping ties with the Congress over denial of bail to Ms Kanimozhi would not be wise in the changed political climate. Mr Karunanidhi’s son, Union minister M.K. Alagiri, senior leader T.R. Baalu and a host of MPs are keen to continue in the UPA since they do not want to lose the cushion to take on the AIADMK’s onslaught.
“Thalaivar’s anger with the Congress is justifiable. We had an opportunity and strong political reasons to come out of the alliance prior to the elections. But we missed it. How will we justify a political decision to snap our Congress ties after repeatedly asserting that we would fight the CBI cases legally,” a senior MP remarked.