The DMDK expects to be allotted 41 seats in its alliance with the AIADMK in the upcoming Tamil Nadu assembly elections, says party treasurer Premalatha Vijayakant. Speaking to the press on Wednesday, Premalatha said that this is the same allotment that the party received in 2011 in its alliance with the ruling party.
Premalatha was speaking at an event at Dharmapuri and added that it was time for political parties in the state to form alliances as the election season was nearing.
“It would benefit political parties to draw up an action plan ahead of the elections,” she said, adding that none of the parties had yet discussed alliances.
Regarding expelled AIADMK general secretary, VK Sasikala’s release from Bengaluru prison on Wednesday, Premalatha wished for her speedy recovery. Sasikala is currently being treated for COVID-19 at Bengaluru’s Victoria hospital and is unlikely to return to Chennai till next week.
Premalatha reiterated that the DMDK will stick with the AIADMK and added that a final decision will be announced following the general council meetings. She also stated that the party’s campaign will commence once their general council meetings are over.
However, on being asked to comment on Sasikala’s release and its possible impact on AIADMK, Premalatha said that it was purely an internal matter of the ruling party. However, Premalatha also added that ‘as a woman, she does support Sasikala’.
“She has spent a lot of time in jail and has not been keeping well. We should wait and see if her release will impact the AIADMK. However, as a woman I will extend my support to her,” the DMDK treasurer added.
Premalatha also added that party founder Vijayakant, who has been suffering from health related ailments will play a key role in the upcoming elections and the campaigning for DMDK.
“Vijayakanth will join me for the campaign. He is doing well. However, there is an age factor so he will come towards the end of the campaigning” she said, adding that currently, they are strengthening the party’.
Regarding Stalin’s poll promise of setting up a separate grievance cell under the Chief Minister when the DMK comes to power, Premalatha said that the DMK has made many election promises even during the Lok Sabha elections but has not implemented them.
The DMDK founded by actor-turned-politician Vijayakant had won 29 of the 41 seats it was allotted in the 2011 Tamil Nadu assembly elections. With this, the party became a force to reckon with in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape and became the second largest party in the state, pushing the DMK to the third position. Vijayakanth became the opposition leader in the assembly.
However, in the 2016 state assembly elections, the party fared poorly by not even winning a single constituency that it contested and even lost its deposit in many places. DMDK had contested along the People’s Welfare Front (PWF) - an alliance of four parties including the CPI(M), CPI, Vaiko’s MDMK and the VCK led by Thol Thirumavalavan. This will bring down its bargaining power in the alliance this time around.