CHENNAI: After losing all three constituencies in Chennai to AIADMK under leadership of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the DMK is looking to bounce back in the State Capital in the upcoming parliamentary elections. Boosting its chances are the absence of the AIADMK from the Chennai North and Central constituencies in which the ruling party’s allies are contesting.
The DMK had registered its highest number of successes in the three Chennai Lok Sabha constituencies – South Chennai, North Chennai and Central Chennai – more than any other party in the last five decades, barring the period between 1977-87 when AIADMK’s MG Ramachandran was in power.
After a failure in 1991, DMK again regained its strength in Chennai, winning all three seats in the 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2004 Lok Sabha elections. In the 2009 general elections it won both Chennai Central and Chennai North by huge margins, while losing the Chennai South to the AIADMK. In 2014, the DMK lost all three seats to the AIADMK.
However, the ruling party’s decision to allot Central Chennai and North Chennai to its allies appears to have increased the chances of DMK, say the party’s supporters.
DMK has fielded Kalanidhi Veerasamy, son of late DMK Minister Arcot Veerasamy, in North Chennai. He faces R Mohanraj of the DMDK from the AIADMK alliance. Mohanraj is a native of Salem. The constituency has a large working class population and the DMK’s alliance with two Left parties is expected to add strength to the party.
A visit to Royapuram, Perambur, Washermenpet and Vyasarpadi in the constituency reveals that even many AIADMK cadre are unaware of the name of DMDK candidate. “I only know that AIADMK not contesting in this election. TTV Dhinakaran also campaigned last week. We have been asked to vote for ‘Murasu’ symbol in this election and have no idea about the candidate,” said R Jayaraj, a AIADMK cadre in Royapuram.
Similarly, entrepreneur S Sam Paul, who was nominated by the PMK to represent the AIADMK alliance in Central Chennai constituency remains unknown among voters. Though Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami campaigned for Sam Paul, his party leaders are yet to campaign for him in Central Chennai, pointed out local AIADMK functionaries who accompanied Sam Paul’s campaign in Villivakkam and Ayanavaram areas. The constituency comprises Egmore, Anna Nagar, Harbour , Chepauk, Thousand Lights and Villivakkam assembly constituencies.
On the other hand, two-time MP from the constituency Dayanidhi Maran, fielded by the DMK, is well-known for building the Villivakkam subway, which was a decade-long demand of the constituency.
Locals say that multiple reasons, including a strong anti-incumbency mood and solid DMK voter base, make Maran the most popular contestant, despite the corruption charges he has been facing.
Though both Dravidian majors adopted populist schemes to woo voters, DMK had an upper hand in Chennai city during most of the elections. The reasons for this are many. For instance, in his first term as Chief Minister, late DMK chief M Karunanidhi in 1971 abolished hand-pulled rickshaws in the State and replaced them with cycle rickshaws. The party has also been credited for various infrastructure development projects in the city since 1973.
The Anna flyover, also known as Gemini flyover, was the first flyover built in the city in 1973 during the DMK regime. The party is credited with building many bridges and laying new roads. The Metro Rail was also approved during DMK regime.
Nonetheless, in South Chennai constituency, the DMK will face a tough battle. The constituency is one of only eight constituencies in which the Dravidian majors are directly facing off. While Thamizhachi Thangapandiyan, fielded by DMK, has attracted a large section of voters, particularly among the educated sections, the large share of supporters of the BJP, an AIADMK ally, in the constituency may play spoilsport for the DMK.
Further, the AIADMK candidate J Jayavardhan, son of Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar, enjoys good support. In the 2014, L Ganesan, senior BJP leader, contested from South Chennai. The BJP had allied with DMDK, PMK, MDMK and other smaller parties. Ganesan came third with 2,58,262 votes, while DMK’s TKS Elangovan came second with 2,98,965 votes. Jayavardhan romped home with 4.34 lakh votes, winning by a margin of 1.35 lakh votes.
Going by the 2014 electoral data, the AIADMK and its alliance secured 63 per cent of votes, while DMK and Congress received 29.98 per cent. With the growth of the BJP base, the DMK’s support has gradually eroded in the constituency, leaving Thangapandiyan facing a tough fight in the constituency. However, the party is counting on an anti-BJP mood to help them overcome the arithmetic.