Anna Hazare's support gives new hope to DMK

CHENNAI: With his call for support, Anna Hazare has given the DMK a new ray of hope.

By joining forces with the anti-corruption crusader, the party will now be hoping to clean up its image and also galvanise forces within the state politics ahead of state polls to be held before next May.

The DMK chief, who led a rally against the land acquisition Bill in Chennai last week, has responded to Hazare's call quickly and firmly. M Karunanidhi said his "party's stout opposition to the Bill will continue till the last."

Appreciating Hazare's letter, he said: "You have raised six important points on the Bill which require very serious attention of all political parties in India. As you have rightly described, the Bill passed in Parliament is really draconian."

Political observers say the exchange of letters with the social activist has revived the hopes of the DMK which is looking to take on the incumbent AIADMK.

Although AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa is muddled in the disproportionate assets case and is awaiting the verdict on her appeal against the conviction by a trial court in Karnataka, the DMK is not in a position to exploit it. Its own representatives have been grappling with high-profile corruption cases including the ongoing 2G spectrum case. A DMK representative told ET: "Of course, we will be happy if the association with the anti-corruption crusader will rub off on our image. The DMK is defi nitely looking to clean up its image and anything that will help us do it is more than welcome. But the party leader has joined forces with Hazare only to ensure that no injustice is meted out to farmers in Tamil Nadu." Jayalalithaa is supporting the Centre on the Land Bill.

The DMK is taking a diagonally opposite position on the bill, in line with a majority of the farmers' forums in the state. By pushing the cause, the DMK hopes to woo away farmers who voted for the AIADMK in the previous elections.

"The DMK is looking to cash in on the antiincumbency that could set in after four years of AIADMK in the state. Joining forces with Hazare and raking up the land acquisition bill provides the scope for the DMK to try and convince smaller parties.As of now, the smaller parties are not sure of betting on the DMK for the next elections," said political analyst and senior journalist T Sigamani. But smaller parties will have to wait to see the outcome of the pending cases, including the 2G spectrum case verdict, and its impact on the party.