DMDK left in lurch by AIADMK?

Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam has been left in the lurch by ruling AIADMK. As the Tamil Nadu is facing General Assembly in a few months, the DMDK Treasurer, Peramalatha Vijayakanth, wife of party founder leader Vijaykanth, is in a hurry to nail a deal with AIADMK at the earliest and launch campaign. However, AIADMK, which is facing several pressing issues, has not shown interest to initiate talks with DMDK. Are sulking party leaders and cadres are planning to face the polls alone?

Chennai (Tamil Nadu): As the talks on the alliance with AIADMK, a major alliance partner, has not started the DMDK leaders are at the crossroads and unable to make a decision even as time is running fast.

Even though the Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisami kick-started a political rally in December last year, the ruling party is not in a hurry to hold talks with DMDK over an alliance. However, a few ministers already met Dr S Ramadoss, founder leader Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), another ally in the AIADMK-led front.

Despite the fact that PMK’s youth wing leader abused the CM, Deputy CM and Ministers publicly, the AIADMK forged an alliance with PMK to face 2019 Lok Sabha poll. Even though Dr Anbumani Ramadoss was defeated in Dharmapuri Lok Sabha poll, later he became Rajya Sabha member with the blessings of AIADMK.

Again even after the PMK cadres were involved in violence in Chennai and other parts of the State demanding 20 per cent reservation for Vanniyars in government jobs and higher education in December last year, the ruling party is keen to have an alliance with PMK and also sent emissaries to meet Ramadoss. A superfast express train was stoned and halted between Vandalur and Tambaram near Chennai and traffic was blocked for a while on the Chennai-Bengaluru Highway near Vellore and Sriperumbudur allegedly by PMK cadres. However, no action was taken against them. Ramadoss keeps the AIADMK guessing on alliance issues.

The DMDK is eager to forge an alliance with AIADMK for the forthcoming poll again. However, the ruling party has not initiated talks so far and the AIADMK leaders are busy campaigning in the state.

The erstwhile Kollywood action star Vijayakanth launched the DMDK in 2005 and contested all the 234 seats in 2006 General Assembly polls in the State. Though Vijayakanth was the sole winner in Vriddachalam Assembly poll in Cuddalore district in 2006 poll, the party secured above 8 per cent vote share. The party candidates secured more votes than the winning margins of victorious candidates in nearly 25 constituencies. Soon he emerged as an important political leader in the State and people started reposing faith in him. However, this was short-lived.

In the 2011 polls, Vijayakanth joined hand with AIADMK and contested in 41 constituencies. Of this, 29 party candidates won the poll and the party won more seats than the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). The DMDK, which secured an 8 per cent vote share, occupied opposition party status in the Assembly. Soon, he parted way with AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa.

After leaving AIADMK Vijayakanth joined hands with the two Left parties, VCK and MDMK to form People's Welfare Front in 2016 Assembly poll. But the front not won any seat. In 2019, the DMDK joined the National Democratic Alliance for the Lok Sabha polls but its vote share dropped to 2.1 per cent.

As the ruling party not accorded importance to DMDK, the cadres and leaders in consultative committee meetings held in several parts of the State have expressed their opinion to face the poll alone just like they did in 2006 Assembly poll. They are also willing to contest in all the 234 seats.

According to sources, if the DMDK will remain in the AIADMK-led alliance, it would be allotted in 9 or lesser seats. Sensing this, the DMDK is gradually distancing itself from the ruling party.

Meanwhile, the DMK has not accorded importance to DMDK since the party faced the 2016 Assembly elections as part of the PWF.

The 2016 poll was a disaster for DMDK and many harbour fears that it would be difficult for the party to make a comeback in 2021 poll. On the one side, Vijaykanth is not taking part electioneering due to health issues and on the other, the party keeps changing its stand prior to every election. Hence, the party is likely to face the poll alone. Talking about this, political commentator, Ravindran Duraisamy said the DMDK is threatening the ruling party to allot more seats. While ruling party accorded priority to PMK it has not given importance to DMDK.

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