On the defensive ever since its tri-state rout, the Congress today took a daring step forward towards an alternative coalition with party president Sonia Gandhi calling up DMK chief M Karunanidhi to congratulate him on quitting the NDA. While Karunanidhi called it a ‘‘good beginning,’’ its significance to other potential allies couldn’t have been clearer: By making the first overture to DMK—a party it had shunned on the grounds that its ‘‘pro-LTTE’’ stance facilitated the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi—the Congress has signalled that it’s ready to bury the past if that helps its future. Before making the call to Chennai, Sonia had a 45-minute meeting with CPI(M) general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet at his residence this morning. Surjeet, who played a key role in the formation of the United Front some years ago and revels in the role of an ‘‘honest broker’’ when it comes to alliance politics, has emerged from the shadows to once again try his hand at bringing together a nation-wide ‘‘secular and progressive front.’’ Following the departure of both the DMK and the MDMK from the NDA alliance, the first building block of this front is slated to be Tamil Nadu. To this end, Surjeet spoke to Karunanidhi yesterday and the latter said he was ready to ally with all parties barring the BJP. It was after this that Sonia decided to make the ‘‘right gesture’’ and call Karunanidhi personally to congratulate him. Earlier, as reported by The Indian Express yesterday, state level Congress leaders had held ‘‘informal’’ talks with the DMK but were awaiting the ‘‘green signal’’ from the party high command, sources said. Sonia’s call was just the go-ahead they were waiting for. Tamil Nadu apart, Sonia and Surjeet had a ‘‘general discussion on how to meet the challenge of the BJP,’’ the CPI(M) general secretary told The Indian Express. Though the Left will not be part of any ‘‘broad front under the leadership of the Congress,’’ he said, efforts will be made to ensure ‘‘one-to-one contests,’’ against the BJP and its allies in as many constituencies as possible in the coming Lok Sabha elections. In order to firm up the tentative DMK-MDMK-Congress-Left-Dalit Panthers front in Tamil Nadu, Surjeet himself plans to visit Chennai on January 3 or 4. He is also slated to meet Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav in Delhi tomorrow to discuss the prospects of a secular front in UP. As of now, the Congress remains undecided on whether to join hands with the SP or the BSP in UP. The Surjeet-Mulayam talks will be exploratory in nature and may pave the way for discussions between the Congress and SP. Meanwhile, the Sonia-Karunanidhi conversation today has put new life in the Congress which has been reeling under bad news all of December.
