If a stormy first session in the Tamil Nadu Assembly with a 69-strong AIADMK-led Opposition is proving to be a major headache for Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, then outside too, the veteran politician, who heads the Democratic Progressive Alliance in the state, is under pressure, from his own ally. Considering that the ruling DMK has only 94 members in the 234-member House, which means 22 short of a majority of its own, Karunanidhi, who heads a minority government is being pressured by the state unit of the Congress for a share in the government.Congress-sponsored posters have appeared on street walls, some close to Sathyamurthy Bhavan, the TNCC headquarters, urging the ‘leader of the Tamil race (referring to Karunanidhi)’ to invite Congress to be a part of the government in the state and thereby win the ‘appreciation’ of Tamil Nadu.In a complete turnaround of its initial stand, the 34 Congress legislators passed a resolution on May 19 demanding participation in the minority government. Presently, the state Cabinet has 31 members, including the Chief Minister.‘‘Even today, the opposition led by the AIADMK made snide remarks in the House about the DMK heading a minority government. Mr Karunanidhi should take a favourable decision soon and send the right signals inside the Assembly as well as to the people of the state,’’ said a Congress MLA.A day after the election results were out, CWC member in charge of Tamil Nadu, Veerappa Moily, had declared that his party would extend ‘‘unconditional outside support’’ to the DMK. But the ‘‘unilateral decision’’ of the Congress leadership did not go down well with the state unit. The disgruntled legislators finally got the green signal last week to pass a resolution seeking participation in government.The resolution, passed in the presence of Moily, said ‘‘the people’s mandate’’ was clearly for a DPA government, headed by Karunanidhi and expressed the hope that the matter would be taken up with Congress president Sonia Gandhi.The DPA won 163 seats in the May 8 election. But barring the Congress, the other DPA constituents, including the PMK, the CPI and CPI (M) have made clear their intention to extend outside support. Karunanidhi is expected to take a decision on the matter soon after the end of this Assembly session by mid-June.-jaya.menon@expressindia.com
