Karunanidhi consults leaders on strategy after filing of FIRs

That cases were booked against the DMK bigwigs under sections allowing for arrest demonstrates that the government does not want to leave anything to chance. The ruling party may have won this round given that it has got the Opposition into discussing its strategy instead of launching a fresh offensive against the government on Monday when Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa would be presenting the demand for grants for her department — Home. 

Clarity did not emerge till Sunday evening despite DMK chief M Karunanidhi holding an urgent discussion on the situation with old timer TKS Elangovan, MLA K Ponmudi and former union minister A Raja at his Gopalapuram residence hours earlier.

If information trickling out of Anna Arivalayam is any indication, the DMK appears to be playing a waiting game. A senior MLA who occupies the first row in the opposition bench told DTNext that the MLAs have been asked to assemble at the party office on Monday morning and their LoP would reveal the plan of action. 

It is clear that the DMK is in no mood to take hasty action or put up an elaborate show on Monday, unlike on Friday when they caught the AIADMK off guard by holding a mock Assembly at Fort St George. “Any show of strength on the Assembly campus would be met with stiff resistance. Even if a few of our important leaders get arrested, the evening rally would lose steam. The ruling party might want to arrest our MLAs, but they know the political ramifications the arrests could have. The FIR is just an intimidation,” a party leader requesting anonymity said, also ruling out any chance of Karunanidhi taking on the AIADMK in the absence of most of his MLAs.