‘Our CM Vijayakant’: DMDK hints at contesting alone in TN polls

After talks with AIADMK and DMDK hit a roadblock on Monday, DMDK Deputy General Secretary LK Sudhish took to social media and hinted that the party may contest alone in the upcoming polls, by posting an image saying “Our Chief Minister Vijayakant, our symbol Murasu and our flag is DMDK party flag”. The talks between AIADMK and DMDK hit a roadblock on Monday allegedly since DMDK demanded the same seats and preferences as another AIADMK ally Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK).

The social media post came even as the NDA has been projecting Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami as the Chief Ministerial candidate of the alliance. However, it is yet to be known if the post is an attempt of the DMDK to exert pressure on AIADMK to allocate more seats or whether they are planning to lead an alliance like they did in 2016.

There has been speculation that AIADMK was ready to allocate 10 to 12 seats to the DMDK, half of the seats given to the PMK (23). However, the offer was said to be unacceptable for the DMDK and Sudhish, who wanted an equal number of seats as the PMK.

Unlike previous elections, DMDK chief Vijayakant may not be able to attend campaigns owing to his health condition and AIADMK is also considering these factors.

In the previous Tamil Nadu Assembly election 2016, Vijayakant-led the alliance Makkal Nala Kootani, which did not succeed as expected and eventually broke up. DMDK then joined the AIADMK-led alliance while VCK, CPM, CPI and MDMK, who were also part of the kootani, joined the DMK alliance. 

In 2016, DMDK contested in 104 constituencies and won no seats. The party also lost its deposit in 103 seats, as per data by the Election Commission of India. The party earned 2.39% of the total vote share in the state. Tamil Nadu is going for Assembly polls on April 6 and the results will be announced on May 2.