The people of Tamil Nadu have given a verdict for a change of government at the poll. The President of the ADMK, Jayalalitha, incumbent Chief Minister will sit in the opposition. It is almost certain that M.Karunanithy of the DMK, conspicuous by his boycotting the sessions of the Tamil Nadu Assembly all these days will be the Chief Minister and play an active role in the conduct of the business of the Assembly. The change of government is a turning point in the political life of Tamil Nadu.

A striking feature of the Tamil Nadu politics is that a party that is committed to Dravidian thinking and principles has been in power there for the last forty years whether it be DMK or ADMK. In all earlier elections, DMK or ADMK won obtaining an absolute majority, but this time the Democratic Progressive Front led by the DMK has got a majority. DMK failed to obtain an absolute majority and has to depend on its allies to stay in power.

A significant feature of this political scenario is that while DMK plays a vital role in the Congress-led central government of India, in Tamil Nadu, the Congress from the central government is going to have a grip over the DMK led rule.

At a crucial juncture, when peace in Sri Lanka is under threat, when the ceasefire agreement between the LTTE and the government is in tatters, when Norway’s role has failed to bring the desired results, when the international community wonders whether India can make a viable contribution to move the peace process forward, a change has occurred in the government in Tamil Nadu.

It is significant that the power in Tamil Nadu has changed hands at a critical hour when Sri Lankan government seeks a defence pact with India to obtain weapons and military training to its troops in order to oppress the freedom struggle of the Tamils and to opt for a military solution instead of a political one.

It is the aspiration and hope of the Sri Lankan Tamils that the DMK alliance that sways power in the centre with iits thirteen ministerial portfolios and have so far ensured the concern of the Indian government towards the cause of the Sri Lankan Tamils, will continue with its moral support!

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