New Delhi, Aug. 6: The Left’s withdrawal of support to the UPA is reshaping its relationships with Tamil Nadu parties.

Leaders of the “third alternative” are said to be working to bring ADMK chief Jayalalithaa on board. The “third alternative” is a loose 10-party combine of the four Left partners, the BSP, the former UNPA (excluding the Samajwadis), Janata Dal (Secular) and others.

Sources said Dal (Secular) chief and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda has opened discussions with Jayalalithaa.

At the same time, the Left parties are showing signs of distancing themselves from the ruling DMK-led coalition in the state, to which they have been giving “issue-based support”.

“We haven’t discussed withdrawing support. But we need to oppose DMK for supporting the nuclear deal and other anti-people policies of the UPA. We may discuss moving away from the DMK if the situation demands so. But it can’t be an immediate story,” a CPM leader said.

On Friday, the Left will take its campaign against the nuclear deal to Tamil Nadu’s streets. Most senior leaders, including Prakash Karat, Sitaram Yechury, Brinda Karat and D. Raja, are expected to participate.

A Left withdrawal will not threaten the DMK coalition, which has 130 seats with the Congress in the 235-member House. The CPM has nine MLAs and the CPI six.

Snapping ties with the DMK won’t be an easy, though, given that the party had helped get CPI secretary D. Raja and another Left leader elected to the Rajya Sabha.