DMK supremo M Karunanidhi on Tuesday said he was hopeful that Captain Vijayakant of the DMDK will finally come over to his side and strengthen to alliance to defeat the corrupt Jayalalithaa regime.

Addressing media persons at the end of interviews of prospective candidates for DMK for the assembly elections, the DMK supremo said his party leaders were still in talks with Vijayakant and he was confident that the former ally of Jayalalithaa and the BJP will sign up with the DMK Congress alliance.

Yesterday, there were speculations that Vijayakant’s brother-in-law Sutheesh was in union capital meeting with BJP leaders. However, this was dismissed by BJP leader and union environment minister Prakash Javdekar, who is party incharge for TN assembly elections.

On Monday, as reports from Delhi indicated DMDK’s parleys with the BJP, DMK supremo stepped up his own efforts and sent emissaries to DMDK leaders to ensure that all was well. On Tuesday, he told media persons that “we still believe DMDK will come to alliance with us. Talks are continuing but we don’t know when exactly we will cross the bridge,” The DMK has not imposed any conditions he said.

The DMK supremo is said to have told his partymen dealing with Captain Vijaykant to give in a little, whether it is on number of seats or financial assistance to fight the elections as ultimately, it is the alliance that would defeat the ruling party.

So much in the importance of being Vijaykant that he will be the kingmaker. But not the king as the DMK has ruled this out completely. If the DMK comes to power, it is 92 year old Karuanidhi would be the chief minister and his party is in no mood for any coalition government with anyone.

Vijayakant, sources said, has been bargaining hard with all the political formations, including the Peoples Welfare Front comprising Left parties and MDMK’s Vaiko. His main condition that he be accepted as the chief ministerial candidate has been more or less accepted by the PWF, but clearly, Vijaykant is waiting for the bigger parties to respond to his demands.

The AIDMK took a dig at DMK troubles in alliance formation. Why is the DMK begging Vijayakant, questioned AIADMK spokesperson CR Saraswathi. The DMK has lost the battle even before it has begun, she said, drawing sharp response from a DMK leader, who said, it was Jayalalithaa who had begged Vijaykant, She could win only after Vijaykant joined her alliance and she should remember, he is no longer there with her.