COIMBATORE: The DMK alliance scripted history on Tuesday by decimating the AIADMK in its western stronghold of Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode, Nilgiris, Salem, Namakkal, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts by comprehensively winning nearly 90 per cent seats in the region. The turn of tide in favour of the DMK comes just eight months after the AIADMK won 40 of 57 seats in the region in the Assembly elections held in May 2021.
According to S Raveendran Duraisamy, political analyst, former CM M Karunanidhi was a strategic politician but his son MK Stalin is someone who challenges status quo. The CM did not take the Assembly defeat in the region lightly and deployed ministers like Senthil Balaji, consider an astute organiser, in every district. The strategy has brought the party rich dividends. “The BJP’s decision to go alone may have caused the AIADMK dearly,” he said.
Though the region is home to several AIADMK heavyweights — including former CM Edappadi K Palaniswami and former ministers SP Velumani, KA Sengottaiyan, P Thangamani and senior leader KP Munusamy — DMK alliance has won 401 of 504 town panchayats councillor seats and 90 of 100 wards in Coimbatore City Corporation.
Stalin’s decision to replace Food Minister R Sakrabani with Power Minister Senthil Balaji to handle AIADMK’s local strongman, former Minister SP Velumani, months before the poll seem to have worked.
Senthil Balaji, a former AIADMK minister himself, conducted more than 150 ‘makkal sabai’ meetings across Coimbatore to strengthen the link between the party and voters. According to analysts, the voter turnout of 53.5%, which is 10% lower than 2011, may have also helped the DMK by blunting the anti-incumbency factor.
Speaking to TNIE, Senthil Balaji said, “The DMK regime’s good governance over the past nine months has fetched us this huge victory. The promises made by the CM during the campaign are being fulfilled one by one every day. This has made Kovai repose its faith in the DMK through this mandate.” According to Eswaran of the Marumlarci Makkal Iyakkam, both the DMK and the AIADMK distributed cash and gifts to voters and the party that had spent more has won the election.