Current fluid political situation arising out of the sad demise of iconic leader Amma, as J Jayalalithaa who straddled the public life for nearly four decades as a film star and later as politician, is pregnant with possibilities.

It is for the first time in a State Assembly, there is a strong opposition with DMK sitting pretty with 89 of its own seats and its allies Congress (8) and IUML (1), in all 98 and close to majority.

Although the DMK officially said that chief minister selection and AIADMK party chief issue are purely internal affairs of a political party and that it did think it fit to comment on internal affairs of its rival, when it came to the chief minister selection process, the DMK sure has some questions answered.

But, DMK treasurer and its likely chief MK Stalin offered cooperation and support to chief minister O Pannerselvam in a mature response.

For sure, the DMK under Stalin is evolving itself into a slightly different entity in tune with the changing times. The DMK is cultivating an image of a mature political party committed to political niceties that Tamil Nadu’s Dravidian politics was not known for. People from the AIADMK and the DMK are not supposed to be seen together even at social forums.

But Stalin began changing this around by personally walking up to Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa after her May 2016 poll victory and promising constructive cooperation in running the state.

The night Amma passed away on December 5, the DMK put up a flex banner saluting Jayalalithaa for her leadership and contribution to building Tamil Nadu. This is one political gesture that was not seen in Tamil Nadu in the recent past, as both the Dravidian parties were engaged in a bitter battle and exchanged acrimonious allegations against each other.

Through these, the DMK is trying to shore up its image as it awaits events playing out to weaken the AIADMK and position itself to capture the public imagination and power.

“The DMK will wait and watch and will not do anything foolish to split the AIADMK and form the government,” opined a political analyst who believed that the DMK will gain by waiting for its turn rather than be seen as a politically opportunistic party.