VELLORE: The euphoria over the much trumpeted 10.5 per cent internal reservation in MBC quota for Vanniyars seems to have dissipated, as it failed to yield the desired results in the polls.
Though it seems to have worked in favour of AIADMK and PMK in Salem region, it has miserably failed in northern districts of Villupuram, Cuddalore, Vellore and Tiruvannamalai.
Star Vanniyar leaders, including CV Shanmugam (Minister for Law), could not win despite the projections that Vanniyar votes would get consolidated owing to the AIADMK-PMK alliance.
“The outcome shows that the quota has not paid the results PMK founder S Ramadass promised. Just as it created a strong sentiment in the Vanniyar belt, it also gave rise to strong counter-response,” says Dr Ramu Manivannan, Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Madras.
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The campaign against the separate quota was as much vigorous as the one in favour. “The negative opinion has turned out to be more effective,” Manivannan adds.
In Vellore, ‘consolidation of Vanniyar votes’ has belied expectations. AP Nandakumar of DMK, belonging to the Naidu community, won from the Vanniyar dominated Anaicut Assembly segment by defeating AIADMK district (rural) secretary D Velazhagan, who belongs to Vanniyar community.
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Another Naidu community leader of the DMK, R Gandhi, has been re-elected to the Assembly from Ranipet, while PMK’s AM Krishnan failed to cross the pole in Vanniyar-dominated Sholingur.
His party had managed to secure about 50,000 votes in the previous polls, analysts point out. In Kilpennathur segment in Tiruvannamalai, the quota failed to help the PMK candidate, who was trumped by DMK’s sitting MLA Ku Pitchandi, belonging to Naidu community.
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Consolidation of Dalit votes in northern districts is also said to have worked against the AIADMK-PMK alliance.
“Vanniyar votes, however, apparently consolidated in Salem region, where the AIADMK-PMK alliance put up a better performance, unlike northern districts where reverse polarisation has taken place,” observes political analyst Ravindran Duraisamy.
All is not well
“The appeal of EPS and Ramadass has gone down well in favour of the alliance in Salem and neighbouring districts,” said a political analyst. As the counting draws to a close, it seems the PMK’s failed to make an impact in the 23 seats it contested.