DMK, after a decade of staying away from power, has emerged the single largest combine to stake a claim for the Dravidian rule. It is a pyrrhic victory for DMK. Stalin’s long felt dream of sitting on the citadel of power has come with costs. But his patience, perseverance and his steadfast supporters without losing hopes have paid rewards. The AIADMK or the DMK’s victory margins are very slender.
The just-concluded assembly elections were fought without the two veterans namely Jayalalithaa and M Karunanidhi. Stalin who had proved his mettle in last lok sabha elections by winning 39 of 40 seats focused his attention on the assembly elections. with this in mind, he engaged PK’s IPAC for Rs.350 crore contract. Many commented he is wasting money instead he should have given it to the party cadres which would boost their morale.
“ DMK never had spent money like this. Stalin is not a fool. He took gamble and spent more one thousand crores. So his immediate priority would be to recover this amount and to make good the loss during the past ten years,” said journalist Senthil. He hints that corruption in tender and other infrastructure projects can be the order of the day. Both the Dravidian majors believed that the freebies announced in the manifesto would convert into votes. They are women specific freebies. AIADMK traditional vote bank is women only since its inception. Both exploited the Social medial to the fullest level. The outgoing CM Edapadi K Palaniswamy’s various populist measures failed to help him to score a hattrick.
Both DMK and AIADMK promised to delta farmers crop loan waiver. AIADMK just before poll schedule was announced, issued waiver certificates. Rs. 12,110 crore crop loan of Edapadi’s of little help to it. AIADMK gave a tough fight, Low margins in many constituencies showed EPS no pushover. The minorities en-mass voted for DMK despite AIADMK’s appeasement measures at the cost of Hindus. The karuppar koottam episode, Hindu phobic speeches of Stalin and its allies , Vel yatra were thought to play a crucial role in making a vibrant Hindu vote bank. But the voters proved otherwise. The DMK wedded to anti-brahmin idealogy had to take the help bihari Brahmin to make its dream come true. DMK dutifully followed everything from PK team. It did not allow any of its allies go out of its fold saying Sangh parivar should be stopped at tracks from gaining ground in Tamil Nadu.
TTV Dhinakaran’s AMMK and Kamal Hassan’s MNM , Vijaya kant’s DMDK became a damp squip. AMMK has played a spoilt sport in some constituencies. In Karaikudi, H Raja lost mainly because AMMK split the votes. Seeman’s Naam Tamizhar Katchi contested all 234 seats but lost all. Its vote share rose to 8 per cent.
AIADMK made a mistake of not taking care of DMDK, Puthiya Tamizhagam in its fold. For PMK it was a do or die battle it failed to make a mark. PMK’s 10 percent quota row served little purpose. DMK won 66 of 84 in vanniar belt. DMK combine won 158 seats while AIDMK 69 in segments. After two decades BJP enters Tamil Nadu assembly a four member team with two women. Simple, suave, down to earth MR Gandhi who won from Nagercoil , is a well known face in the Kanyakumari district. He is an RSS worker and was the district president of Jan Sangh.
He became the state secretary of the party in 1975 and was a misa detenue. Former minister Nainar Nagendhran is the Vice President of BJP Tamil Nadu and has won from Tirunelveli constituency. He left the AIADMK in 2017 to join the BJP. He has been earlier elected as MLA from the same constituency in Tirunelveli in 2001 and 2011. Dr. C.K. Saraswathi, elected fromdate from Modakurichi is a doctor by profession. She is known for offering free knee surgeries to the poor and needy. Vanathi Srinivasan, the National President of BJP’s Mahila Morcha (women’s wing) emerged victorious defeating Kamal Hassan.
If we quote Prashant Kishor , “ wherever demography has changed and the ratio of Hindu and Muslim population is 7:3 or 6:4 then it is very difficult for BJP to win the elections. if BJP wants to win they have to take 50-55 percent hindu votes but it is next to impossible because of never vote like Muslims. Muslims know how to vote. That’s whty I was very confident about our win”. Of the 27 segments with more than 20 percent minority votes across the state , DMK has won or has maintained comfortable margin. Committed and loyal cadres kept the DMK on track. The Congress and left, VCK, MDMK all rode the DMK wave.
“Still it is a wonder. There is no strong wave in favour of DMK. Nor any anti-incumbency. In vanniar belt, lower end cadres of PMK and ADMK did not cooperate with each other due toutusl mistrust. BJP association is single most important reason for drawback for ADMK setback,” said AIADMK workers. Despite Edapadi’s big brother attitude from announcing CM candidate and allotment of seats, BJP ensured the alliance in good mode. Had BJP been allowed to lead the alliance, DMDK, PT would have find place. If AIADMK contested without BJP, the loss is heavy. PMK transferred its votes entirely to ADMK but they did not reciprocate. Except Kovai South ( due to SP Velumani) , ADMK cadres did not work for BJP seats. It is the reason for both PMK and BJP would not win more seats.
Balaji of Nellai said “ people of Tamil Nadu yearned for a change. DMK took advantage of the situation by proper planning with the help of PK who did a very effective digital approach in winning the heart of the people for DMK”.
Stalin who called Edapadi a slave of BJP and pledged the government with the centre, will adopt a cantankerous approach like Mamta, Kejriwal and others did. Or he is going to maintain cordial relations for the welfare of the state. Will he implement the poll promises? For that he needs money. Hitherto sitting in opposition benches he was criticizing all action. Now after becoming CM, he will realize how difficult to rule.
