DMK leader meets Advani, to join BJP

DMK leader and former MP Alladi Aruna is likely to join BJP, sources said today. Aruna met DPM L.K.Advani, who advised him to meet BJP chief M. Venkaiah Naidu. Aruna, when asked said, ‘‘These (suggestions that he is likely to shift to BJP) are false rumours. I met Advani to thank him for giving my college recognition by AICTE.’’

Sources said Aruna has set his sights on the North Chennai seat, which is in the BJP kitty after seat adjustments with AIADMK. Aruna, who was earlier in the AIADMK, is a Nadar. The North Chennai seat is dominated by members of the Nadar community. The BJP, which has been saddled with the seat, does not have any strong candidate in its ranks to take on the DMK here.

For the Dharmapuri seat too, names of several outsiders are doing the rounds. They include PMK leader P.D.Elangovan, a member of the dissolved Lok Sabha, and DMK leader S. Jagatrakshakan, who was denied a renomination from Arakkonam. Rama Suganthan, son of Tamizhaga Rajiv Congress leader V. Ramamurthy, who recently joined BJP, is also a contender for the seat.