Now it is official. Captain Vijayakanth will lead a new formation Peoples Welfare Front ( a combination of pro-Tamil MDMK of Vaiko, Vidhuthalai Chirutaigal Katchi and Left parties) and DMDK – as its chief ministerial candidate in the assembly elections to take on the two Dravidian majors.

An agreement to this effect was signed by the top leaders of the new formation in the presence of Captain Vijayakanth at his party headquarters on Wednesday. According to this agreement, DMDK will contest in 124 seats and the PWF would field its candidates in 100 seats and Vijayakanth will be the chief ministerial candidate of the combine.

The announcement was made by all the senior leaders of the new combine – Vaiko, G Ramakrishnan, Thol Tirumlavalanan, Muttharasan (CPI) and Vijayakanth, who held a signed document together for vedio cameras and photographers to record at the DMDK party headquarters.

Vaiko, general secretary of Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, CPM state secretary G Ramakrishnan, VCK leader Thol Tirumavalanan reached Vijayakanth’s office for final talks at which the agreement was reached.

Addressing media persons, Vijayakanth said “without going to any other party, I have gone to the peoples party – PWF. My cadres and people wanted me to be the king. All the alliance partners have asked me to be the chief ministerial candidate.”

Later, Vaiko read out the agreement, signed by all the leaders of the DMDK-PWF combine according to which the DMDK will contest 124 seats and the PWF in 100 seats under the chief ministerial face of Captain Vijayakanth.

Vijayakanth has been in the forefront of a campaign to oust both the Dravidian parties, which he described as corrupt and wanted to emerge as the third viable alternative.

The AIADMK dismissed the alliance as one of no consequence. It is an internal decision of those parties said its spokesperson CR Saraswathy. Elections will see what vote percentage that alliance would get, se said adding Vijayakanth got votes in last elections because of his alliance with Amma. “the AIADMK will win comfortably,” Saraswathy asserted.

For the DMK it was a case of sour grapes. Maintaining an apparent indifferent attitude, DMK treasurer and former deputy chief minister MK Stalin, dismissed the alliance as one that would have no impact on the DMK or its scheme of things. “It will have no impact on our party, we are concentrating on our work.”

The BJP, which was wooing Vijayakanth vigorously, criticized the development saying “it is an anti-people alliance.” BJP senior leader and union minister Pon Radhakrishnan said “it is an anti-people alliance and one that will be of no consequence in polls.” He said “our state president had announced yesterday that we will contest all the 234 seats.”

In a sarcastic tone, Pon Radhakrishnan congratulated the PWF leaders for making Vijayakanth, who cannot win himself, a chief ministerial candidate.