CHENNAI: Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK), led by Seeman, has improved its performance in its bid to emerge as a key player in Tamil Nadu politics by substantially increasing its vote share from 3.85 % in 2019 to approximately 8.2 % this election.
Moreover, the party has secured third position in six constituencies, by pushing the BJP-led alliance in five of them and the AIADMK in one (Kanniyakumari). In as many as 12 constituencies, the party secured more than one lakh votes.
The performance is particularly noteworthy given the party’s lack of high-profile campaigners except for Seeman and other resources compared to other parties. The party had to contest in a new symbol in this election after its failure to secure from ECI the symbol it was using before.
The six constituencies where it secured third position included Erode, Kallakurichi, Kanyakumari, Nagapattinam, Tiruchy and Puducherry. Its best performance was in Sivaganga where party’s Ezhilarasai secured 1,63,412 votes (15.5 %). NTK’s vote share has doubled its votes in all 39 parliamentary constituencies, with the exception of Kanniyakumari. Veteran political observer D Karthik commented on the party’s growth, stating, “It is commendable.
While many parties struggle to maintain their vote share, NTK has achieved significant growth. The party has secured a notable vote share without any prime ministerial candidate, star campaigners, or media support, relying solely on Seeman. Hence, NTK poses a significant threat to the Dravidian majors and national parties in the state in the upcoming elections.”
Good performance despite lack of bigwigs
The performance is particularly noteworthy given the party’s lack of high-profile campaigners except for Seeman and other resources compared to other parties.