DMK top leaders shrug off Madurai campaign

MADURAI: All political parties are campaigning on a war footing to win the elections to the prestigious Madurai Corporation and are leaving no stone unturned and it is the DMK alone that has not unleashed its top leaders into the arena. Soon after the election date was announced, all major parties, including the AIADMK, kick-started their campaign in Madurai. Even, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa came on a single stop campaign to Madurai on Thursday. State and national level leaders of all major political parties, including the Congress, the BJP, the DMDK, the MDMK, the Viduthalai Chiturthaikal Katchi (VCK) and Puthiya Tamilagam (PT) party also campaigned in Madurai in support of their respective party candidates.But as far as the DMK is concerned, except the mayoral candidate P Packianathan and some district level party functionaries none of the senior leaders, including MK Alagiri, have hit the campaign trail. Though DMK chief M Karunanidhi is said to have skipped the campaign tour due to ill-health it is the passive role being played by the so called ‘Anja Nenjan’, especially in Madurai, seen as his fortress, that has surprised many. Perhaps the DMK has given up on Madurai.Though 28 candidates are in fray, the real fight is between seven major parties - the AIADMK, the DMK, the Congress, the BJP, the DMDK, the MDMK and PT. The nomination of the BSP candidate was rejected and the VCK candidate Pasumpon withdrew.