TN: MDMK trains its guns on MK, Jaya

CHENNAI:  For years now, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK)  and its general secretary Vaiko have been attacking the DMK and its patriarch M Karunanidhi. But at a public meeting of the party on Saturday, AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa too came under fire from MDMK speakers, even as Vaiko toed a muted line of attack.Speaker after speaker at the public meeting, held to mark the beginning of the eighth year of the MDMK, attacked both the DMK and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam for having forsaken Vaiko, albeit at different points in time. “The cadre of one party is still hurting from its loss in the election, and cadre of the other party, despite a resounding victory, are only muted in their celebrations. That’s because they both feel for the betrayal of the MDMK,” said Vaiko.Vaiko also hinted that both the DMK and the AIADMK had attempted to buy out voters in the recent elections. “The voters are smart, you cannot fool them. Both parties tried hard over a month. But the people rejected these overtures and defeated money power. They crowned a government of their choice and protected democracy,” said Vaiko.Vaiko also touched on the topic closest to his heart, the Eelam, and recalled the contributions of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to the cause of the Tamil Eelam. He also hit out at the current Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh. “I love and respect Manmohan Singh, but I strongly oppose the Prime Minister. It pains me to see a respected economist reduced to a puppet,” Vaiko said, to applause of the 4000-strong crowd.Vaiko also recalled the trials and travails of the MDMK over the years, saying neither he nor his party were afraid of making ‘risky decisions’. Others spoke of the bright future for the party, noting that only MDMK cadre were taking up activities to grow the party at the grassroots level, even as the other parties faced a lull after the elections.