By deciding to join the general strike called for Thursday by the Opposition, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, a constituent of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance regime, has sought to convey that it can no longer be taken for granted. However, this does not mean that DMK president M. Karunanidhi will go the Mamata Banerjee way, and the party is unlikely to rock the UPA boat for the present, according to DMK sources. The general strike has been called to protest against the hike in diesel price, restrictions on supply of domestic LPG cylinders and nod for FDI in the multi-brand retail sector. What has upset Karunanidhi, party leaders say, is the total failure of the Congress leadership to convince its allies about its decision or seek to assuage their feelings. Karunanidhi has been voicing his displeasure with the attitude of the Congress and even avoided meeting President Pranab Mukherjee during his recent visit to Chennai, even though he had campaigned for his candidature during the Presidential elections. In fact, in May, he said the DMK was staying in the alliance with a bitter feeling only because it did not want to upset the Congress applecart in the run-up to the presidential poll. When the 2G spectrum allocation scandal shook the country, AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa had offered support to the Congress if it showed the door to the DMK. Asked whether the DMK was reluctant to leave the UPA because it feared that the AIADMK may seek to fill the vacuum, a senior DMK leader said none would really support UPA-II now, as it was becoming increasingly unpopular.Karunanidhi, party leaders assert, is also firm that Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa should not be allowed to visit India to take part in celebrations connected with the 2,600th anniversary of the Buddha attaining Enlightenment.