Chennai: That the 'son' has risen is no more a cliche as Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president MK Stalin is set to assume the office of Chief Minister this week.
'Rising Sun' is the election symbol of the DMK and for a long, he was groomed to take over the political estate of his late father and DMK patriarch Muthuvel Karunanidhi.
It was a long wait and probably, he alone had the longest political apprenticeship. Though full results of the assembly elections are yet to come, it has become clear that the DMK is on the cusp of forming the next government. Coming closer to some exit poll predictions, the DMK-Front is projected to pocket nearly 160 seats,
With many DMK stalwarts and regional satraps romping home comfortably, in many seats, the margin of victory was below 1,000 votes as was the case in the 2016 assembly elections.
While Stalin retained his Kolathur seat, his son Udhayanidhi won from Chepauk by over 60,000 votes on his electoral debut.
Also Read: MK Stalin emerging from Kalaignar's shadow
In the DMK camp, the Congress would be on cloud nine as the party won 16 of the 25 seats it had contested. Similarly, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi of Thol Thirumavalavan, MP, won 4 of the six seats allotted to it.
The left parties were not far behind as they are winning a couple of seats each. The MDMK of Vaiko, which faced the elections under the DMK's symbol in six seats, had won in three and leading in one. But, the DMK government will have to confront a strong opposition.
Despite the AIADMK being voted out, it is not all that gloomy for the party. Only Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) and a handful of his cabinet colleagues could win from their home turf. But, contrary to expectations, the party is projected to win around 70 seats, the significance of which could not be underestimated.
In the absence of a charismatic leader like Jayalalithaa and battling the Sasikala-TTV Dhinakaran factor, EPS has ensured that the election was not a rout for the party. This 'honourable defeat' would only strengthen his iron grip over the AIADMK.
What had stood in good stead for the AIADMK was the Western region which continues to be a stronghold of the party. An important factor behind this could be the Chief Minister hailing from the region and belonging to the dominant OBC of the region as well.
Also Read: Go for subdued celebrations, Stalin tells party workers
In terms of vote share too, the AIADMK had greatly reduced the difference with the DMK. While the vote share of the DMK is 37.43%, it is 33.81% for the AIADMK.
This election is more significant in the context of the political trajectory of the state. As the results show, the Dravidian heartland continues to be bipolar among the dominant Dravidian parties – DMK and AIADMK, leaving precious little space for national parties. Moreover, national players have to be dependent upon the Dravidian majors.
Film celebrities with political ambitions have fallen by the wayside. Kamal Hassan's Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) party comes a distant third or fourth in many places while he himself is trailing in Coimbatore South. In her electoral debut, saffron party's star campaigner and actor Kushbu had lost to a greenhorn, Dr Ezhilan of the DMK in Thousand Lights constituency in the city. Her celluloid popularity was of little use either for her or for the BJP since she could not even secure the votes the AIADMK had polled in 2016.
In neighbouring Puducherry, the NDA under the AINRC of former Chief Minister N Rangasamy is poised to form the next government.
The BJP which sealed the electoral pact at the eleventh hour with AINRC is expected to win more than a couple of seats and possibly join the government. Its hope of the lotus blooming in the deep south has come to fruition.
Also Read: TN Polls: An Independent candidate capturing spirit of digital age
