The Dalit Panthers of India, which has been unsuccessful in stitching an alliance with the Democratic Progressive Alliance, on Monday struck an alliance with the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

The DPI will contest nine seats in the forthcoming Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry.

DPI, which was an ally of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in the 2001 elections, had earlier expressed desire to join the DMK fold.

PMK founder leader Dr S Ramadoss, who along with Thirumavalavan is spearheading the Tamil Protection Movement, had also made efforts to include DPI into the alliance.

However, DMK President M Karunanidhi last week ruled out a place for the DPI in the seven-party opposition alliance but said he had no objection if the PMK gave some seats out of its quota to that party.

Irked by this, Thirumavalavan on February 23 called upon Ramadoss to quit the DPA and lead an alternative front while accusing Karunanidhi of creating a rift between the PMK and DPI.