Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.
The Congress, which has been on the edge in the wake of reports that the DMK would withdraw support to the UPA government, heaved a sigh of relief on Friday after its southern ally decided not to part ways.
"We are allies. We have been allies for long. Our alliance will continue in that spirit," party spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan said, adding that the 2G issue will have no impact on the alliance.
However, the wily grand old party also advocated a relook at its long-term strategy in Tamil Nadu. Even as a cornered DMK decided to swallow pride and live with the Congress, party sources said the high command was mentally prepared to break the alliance before the next Lok Sabha elections in 2014.
Political observers are eagerly waiting for the proposed visit of AIADMK supremo and Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa's meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday. If the 18-MP-strong DMK hastens the process, the Congress has the option of inducting nine-member AIADMK, the five-member RLD and four-member RJD into the government to maintain its numerical strength.
Party strategists are of the view that a long-term association with a tainted party such as the DMK would adversely impact the Congress tally in the next general elections. In fact, the party which arm-twisted the DMK and wangled 63 assembly seats in the recent elections but won only five, blamed the DMK for its rout in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
The latest issue of Congress mouthpiece Sandesh, commenting on the five assembly election results, said that the results were affected by the 2G scam and these states were lost to other parties. Another article in the journal said: "The Congress has to have another look at its strategy in the southern state. It must not lose its vote bank due to the mistakes of its coalition partners. The Congress has to regain its old glory and be in a position to be in power by itself."
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