In identity struggle, Vasan finds space in DMDK-PWF flock

GK Vasan's TMC, which was facing an existential crisis after AIADMK dumped it as a political orphan with just days to go for the assembly election, has finally managed to get some political space in the hustings with the DMDK-PWF alliance accommodating it. It is also a face-saver for Vasan, whose political future was at stake.
The crisis was Vasan's own making because he had been toeing a pro-AIADMK stand ever since he defected from Congress in November 2014.Having attacked DMK all through and with Congress having struck a deal with DMK, there was no way that he could join the DMK front either. Despite PWF and DMDK leaders wooing him for more than two months, Vasan was reluctant to commit so far, because he was keen on joining the AIADMK front. Vasan's plans went haywire after Jayalalithaa changed her alliance strategy following DMK's failure to stitch together a formidable front.
With the opposition remain ing fragmented, Jayalalithaa obviously did not want to accommodate too many parties in her front and chose to force TMC out.
By agreeing to accept 26 seats from the third front, Vasan is apparently admitting that his breakaway faction is weaker than the residual Congress in the state headed by E V K S Elangovan. Congress has got a better deal (41 seats) from DMK. Vasan did not have many options either. BJP , left without any ally worth mentioning, had invited TMC into its fold. The other option before Vasan was to contest alone.
With Vasan attending a joint media briefing with PWF and DMDK leaders at the DMDK headquarters on Saturday in which he endorsed the candidature of Vijayakanth for the chief ministerial post, he has brought curtains down on a movement through which he had sought to bring back Kamaraj rule in the state.Amidst the crisis, Elangovan added insult to injury by suggesting Vasan could return to his parent party .
Vasan and his supporters had left Congress after they were sidelined by the party high command, Rahul Gandhi in particular, and a return to the parent party would have been suicidal. Vasan said, “TMC has joined a winning alliance and it will bring about change in the state.“ Vaiko once again used the opportunity to attack DMK leaders Karunanidhi and Stalin. Vijayakanth, who spoke hardly for a few seconds, said “All our leaders are good. I leave it to you to decide what kind of people are there in the opposition.“