DMDK youth wing secretary L K Sudheesh meets BJP national president Amit Shah

CHENNAI: DMDK youth wing secretary L K Sudheesh met BJP national president Amit Shah at the latter’s residence in New Delhi on Thursday sparking speculation that there was a serious move to patch updifferences between the two allies in Tamil Nadu. The meeting assumes significance in the light of Shah’s impending visit to Coimbatore on March 5 to review certain organizational matters. While the two parties have drifted apart gradually on various issues, particularly over the absence of DMDK leader Vijayakanth and wife Premalata during campaigning for the Srirangam by-elections, therecent decision taken by the other ally PMK to lead its own alliance with Anbumani Ramadoss as its CM candidate, has pushed the BJP back towards the DMDK to salvage the NDA in the state.Sources said state BJP organizing secretary S Mohanrajulu accompanied Susheesh, who is the brother-in-law of DMDK chief Vijayakanth, for the meeting that lasted 30 minutes.It is understood that Sudheesh who has been point man for Vijayakanth to coordinate with the state BJP both before and after they struck an alliance for the Lok Sabha polls, had conveyed his party’s deep dissatisfaction over the national party’s “step motherly treatment” meted out to his leader which was not befitting his importance to the NDA in the state. “BJP leaders had sent feelers for a meeting and our leader deputed Sudheesh for the same at short notice,” a senior DMDK MLA told TOI.Both sides confirmed that the meeting was cordial.DMDK has apparently made it clear that it is capable of leading the NDA alliance in the 2016 assembly elections and has reiterated its expectations that the party advocates would be appointed as standing counsels of the central government.Reflecting the BJP resolve to keep the NDA together in Tamil Nadu, state party chief Tamilisai Soundararjan has said she is prepared to sort out differences with allies to ensure “we are a united force to take on the Dravidian parties” in the assembly elections.