Tamil Nadu electoral politics is heating up with final alliances getting firmed up and leaders hitting campaign train formally.

On a day of hectic developments, breakway Congress leader GK Vasan, who floated Tamil Maanila Congress joined hands with Vaiko and Vijayakanth on Saturday, giving the DMDK-PWF combine a shot in the arm.

Vasan’s choice veered around to the non-Dravidian front after being pursued by the DMK and even the BJP the moment it was clear that AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa shut the doors on him. Even Congress Tamil Nadu chief EVKS Elangovan invited him to join hands with the Congress, the party he broke away with.

Feelers were sent to Vasan from all the parties, but he chose to try his luck with the third front, which now has become a more serious player. But analysts still doubt its ability to dislodge either of the Dravidian parties in the two horse race in Tamil Nadu.

Vasan first went to the PWF leaders, Vaiko, VCK leader Thol Thirumavalanan, CPM secretary G Ramakrishnan and these then went together to Captain Vijayakanth under whose leadership the alliance welcomed Vasan to the fold. A formal agreement was signed that was held aloft by the leaders for the photographers to record the event.

Announcing the development to media, Vaiko said Vasan’s entry meant a readjustment in the number of seats each constituent of the front would fight, because Vasan was allotted 26 seats for his Tamil Maanila Congress. As per the new arrangement, DMDK of Vijayakanth will contest in 104 seats, Vaiko’s MDMK gets 29, Communists (CPI and CPI-M) get 50. And, the VCK has been allotted 25 constituencies.

Vasan told media persons that he was convinced that Tamil Nadu was yearning for a change and the PWF=DMDK combine presented a real alternative to the Dravidian parties.

On Sunday, the PWF-DMDK combine will be holding its first mega joint rally at Maamandur in Kancheepuram.

Vijayakanth, who was present at the event, is getting ready to hit the campaign trail. Projected as the chief ministerial face of the PWF-DMDK combine, Vijayakanth will begin his campaign for the elections from Monday. He is scheduled to address an election meeting at Gummidipondi in neighboring Tiruvalur district. In his first phase he is scheduled to address some 12 meetings till April 17 in C hennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Vellore and Tiruvannamalai.