It appears that Parithi Ilamvazhuthi is the most sought after politician nowadays. Sources tell whispers that both the AIADMK and MDMK are coaxing Parithi to join their party. While Vaiko is using Deputy General Secretary post as a new year offer, the ruling AIADMK is using corruption cases as a stick to woo Parithi.
Whispers had written in detail about Parithi’s discomfiture in the DMK in “Is the DMK falling apart?” in this column. However, the grand old man of Tamil Nadu politics M Karunanidhi’s attempts to bring this internal feud seems to have become futile. M K Alagiri and senior member of the DMK Veerapandi Arumugam were pressurizing Karunanidhi to ensure that Parithi stays in the party. But an adamant M K Stalin was in no mood to relent and has reportedly put his foot down firmly. Now Parithi feeling ‘enough is enough’ is all set to jump the ship.
Whispers doing rounds is that MDMK’s general secretary Vaiko has offered the post of Deputy General Secretary to Parithi to woo him. This post fell vacant after Poet Kudiyarasu, who was MDMK’s Deputy General Secretary, passed away in the year 2002. Vaiko feels that Parithi’s entry into the MDMK will boost the sagging morale of the party workers, after the party’s continuous debacles in all the elections. MDMK insiders say Vaiko an old friend of Parithi is personally talking to Parithi over phone and trying to convince him.
On the AIADMK’s side, one of its key leaders from Royapuram is conducting the negotiations. Sources close to Parithi say that he has many things to loose as his activities in the last five years will definitely land him in trouble. Parithi had granted permission to 31 building ventures in April 2011, after the dates for elections were announced. Among them are Hotel Leela Ventures in Raja Annamalaipuram, Vicoans Infra Environment and Engineering Private Limited in Adyar, and Viceroy Hotels in MRC Nagar. For these three buildings the mandatory clearance from the Environment Ministry were not obtained as they come under the Costal Regulatory Zone. However, Parithi had granted approvals for the 31 high rise buildings and also hurriedly conducted meetings when the Model Code of Conduct was in force.
Now the AIADMK is using these planning approvals given by Parithi as a threat to bring him into its fold. But if Parithi joins the AIADMK and no action is taken against him, then Jayalalitha’s attempt to portray her government as a corruption free regime will become a joke. Jayalalitha’s rhetoric in the recently concluded Collector & SPs conference to prevent corruption would sound hollow. But party sources say, Parithi fearing a long jail term has made up his mind to join AIADMK and had sought appointment to meet ‘Amma’. Sources say Amma too had given her nod to meet Parithi which may take place on anytime in the next 48 hours.
The AIADMK has also prepared to accommodate its prodigal son ‘Anitha Radhakrishnan’ in its flock. Anitha Radhakrishnan who had quit the AIADMK and joined DMK and won as an MLA is likely to resign his post and come back to AIADMK. Anitha Radhakrishnan, who too was threatened with land grab cases and corruption cases, has also agreed to resign his MLA post and not seek a re-election. It is ironic that the same assets case against Anitha Radhakrishnan was used against him by the DMK government to make him switch loyalties.
Also whispers doing rounds in the AIADMK circles is that...the party high command has prepared a list that has names of people who are sidelined and disappointed by M K Stalin's behaviour in the party and many DMK leaders are being approached to switch sides...Sources say very soon they will be knocking the doors of “Veda Nilayam”. However, a rattled DMK is gearing up to keep their flock together…Egmore party functionaries have been summoned by the DMK party high command to be present at Anna Arivaliyam on Friday morning and M K Stalin has instructed his loyalists to maintain vigil as his authority in the party is being challenged.
Is history repeating itself for the DMK?
