But privately Congresspersons question why their party needs to pay for the sake of an ally which has alienated voters throughout the country, including Tamil Nadu, by refusing to appreciate the religious sensitivities of a vast majority of Indians. The tie-up with the DMK, which is handicapped by anti-incumbency, may be of little advantage to the Congress in case of an early general election. Already the weathercock PMK, with its powerful Vanniyar vote bank, has dumped the DMK alliance in the state although it continues to be a part of the UPA at the Centre. Another former ally, Vaiko’s MDMK party, is firmly with Jayalalithaa. With the BJP and AIADMK cosying up to each other, many feel the Congress’s best bet in the forthcoming election could be a tie-up with actor Vijaykanth, who has shown he has the clout and charisma to break the stranglehold of Dravida parties on Tamil Nadu’s politics.