Chennai: Amid signs of strain within the DMK-led alliance, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) president Kamal Haasan, an ally of the ruling party, has sought to project cohesion by bringing alliance partners onto a common platform.Through his cultural forum, Kamal Panpattu Maiam, he is organising a programme titled ‘Maravom: Remembering Gandhi’ at the Gandhi Memorial Museum in Madurai on February 21. “Chief Minister M K Stalin, leaders of alliance parties, legislators and local Congress functionaries have been invited,” a senior functionary of MNM said.What makes the event crucial are two factors, the first being its location – Madurai. It was in Madurai, the local Congress functionaries passed a resolution at a meeting seeking a share in power and more seats from DMK. The meeting was chaired by MP Manickam Tagore, who had a war of words with DMK MLA from MAdurai, G Thalapathy. Now that the event is held in Madurai, Congress and DMK functionaries from the district are expected to share stage. Since the event is centred on Gandhi, Congress leaders could not afford to refuse the invitation, say political observers. The second factor is the timing of the event. It is scheduled a day before the DMK’s poll panel is set to begin formal talks with alliance partners. A senior leader of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee said, “There is no uncertainty about the alliance, but bringing all alliance leaders on one platform helps counter speculation and sends out a clear signal to the opposition.”
