BJP had vainly tried to enroll him as a major party for opening NDA account in Tamil Nadu. He rebuffed the saffron party overtures over recent months including efforts of its special envoy for Tamil Nadu, Mr Prakash Javadekar. Not losing hope despite weeks of despair, Mr Karunanidhi had assumed the DMDK fruit was now ripe to fall into his cup of milk.

In the evolving pre-poll scene, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's AIADMK appeared set to scramble through for a second successive term, however fortified her arch-rival 93-year old Mr Karunanidhi looked to lead the DMK battle and wrest power, irrespective of the marginal players lined up equally against both Dravidian majors.

Mr Vijaykant's DMDK, considered the third largest party in the State, has plans to contest all the 234 seats, with potential to radically alter voting patterns and even cause some major upsets, for the two Dravidian majors, though power may elude him. Already, with the poll scene cluttered up with smaller parties and 'bit' players, Tamil Nadu may go through multi-cornered contests.

But has Mr Vijaykant said the last word, or keeping the door open for other parties, barring the detested ruling AIADMK as well as DMK, to hitch themselves to a DMDK-led alliance? He made it clear that he was going to 'contest alone', following up his earlier assertions that his party wanted him to be 'king, not king-maker'.

His politically-minded wife Ms. Premalatha, who spoke after Mr Vijaykant at the party’s women’s wing conference, hinted that “like-minded parties” (equally opposed to AIADMK and DMK) could still approach the DMDK leader whose forthright announcement implies his claim to be the next Chief Minister.

First reactions according to spokesman of both the Dravidian majors vary. , AIADMK, feeling confident, regards it positive for itself as Mr Vijaykant has ruled out joining the DMK-Congress alliance. The DMK leaders, unmistakably disappointed, however, calculate that all anti-incumbency votes against AIADMK and the split votes from other contestants would go in DMK'S favour, as logical alternative to AIADMK rule, as in the past.

DMDK's projection of itself as the third force is welcomed by leaders of the four-party alliance, People's Welfare Front, (comprising Mr Vaiko's MDMK, CPI(M), CPI and the VCK leader Mr Thirunavalavan). It was promoted by Mr Vaiko to end the hegemony and 'misrule' of the two Dravidian parties. But It remains to be seen whether DMDK and PWF could come together on agreed basis so as to augment their limited poll percentages at present..

The other well-established party, PMK of Dr Ramadoss, which had in the past allied itself with one or the other of the two Dravidian majors, is now contesting on its own, and its Chief Ministerial candidate, Dr Anbumani Ramadoss, son of the party founder, has toured all districts as an advocate of 'change' for Tamil Nadu. Total prohibition is listed as one of its top priorities besides education and quality healthcare but there would be no freebies..

Both PMK and DMDK were with NDA in the Lok Sabha poll 2014 but have since kept themselves out. But the leaders of both these parties aspire to head the next Government of Tamil Nadu. While PMK has commanded influence among Vanniyars, the predominant community in Northern and some western and southern districts, neither Dr Ramadoss nor Mr Vijaykant is likely to be able to lead a majority party.

BJP's hopes to emerge a major force in Tamil Nadu have turned sour, after a poll campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February in the wake of a massive membership drive worked out by party president Mr Amit Shah and a series of visits of BJP Ministers to make announcements and build support .

Having turned down the idea of Mr Vijaykant leading a DMDK alliance with BJP in it, the central leadership is reconciled to going alone and, according to BJP state president, Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan, Tamil Nadu will be free of corruption and liquor only 'if lotus blooms'.

Both Mr Karunanidhi and Ms. Jayalalithaa have interviewed candidates out of several thousand applications for all the 234 constituencies and are yet to come out with their manifestoes. But Ms. Jayalalithaa asked her partymen to take the 'achievements' of her five-year term to the people, highlighting the “people’s welfare schemes”.

Freebies have dominated the poll agenda of both parties, Ms. Jayalalithaa aggressively following up in 2011 what Mr Karunanidhi had initiated with consumer durables in 2006. Both parties have realised that development, urban and rural, jobs and better governance have to regain greater ascendancy on their agenda. Food and rural power subsidy apart, other stops had cost tens of thousands of crores of rupees over five years.

DMDK won 29 seats in 2011 as a partner in ADMK-led alliance. Dissensions developing with Ms. Jayalalithaa later, Mr Vijaykant distanced himself from AIADMK. Mr Karunanidhi was expecting he could persuade the DMDK to join a DMK-led alliance in 2016 but was unwilling to make any prior commitments on number of seats and power-sharing.

The Congress has again preferred to be part of DMK-led alliance virtually with no pre-conditions. The DMK leader and his son Mr M K Stalin, who confidently campaigned for months, have made it clear to all parties that they do not favour any coalition government. In 2006-11 Mr Karunanidhi ran a minority government with only the Congress supporting from outside.

The breakaway Congress group, Tamil Manila Congress led by Mr G K Vasan has not spelt out its options but seems willing to work with an alliance focused on both development and welfare of the people. With nearly two months left for poll, the political scene in Tamil Nadu can still witness some dynamic shifts.

For Mr Vijaykant, who floated his party in 2006 and has made waves in its first decade,, it is a gamble to decide to go it alone. 'I have no confusion, I am going to contest alone', he declared repeatedly. Mr Karunanidhi could make it a formidable anti-Jayalalithaa alliance if DMDK joined the DMK-Congress led alliance.

While the two Dravidian majors have commanded a vote share of over 60 per cent ( 2011), all other parties and outfits have found viable spaces for themselves. Essentially, it still remains a battle between the two Dravidian majors though it may not seem as straight as it looked at one time if other parties begin to make electoral adjustments.

For the present, DMDK, PMK, and PWF, committed to seeing the end of AIADMK-DMK rule of fifty years are on their own, and with BJP desperately trying to become a strong force,, multi-cornered contests are on horizon. (IPA Service)