CHENNAI: With less than a month to polls, actor Vijayakant’s DMDK on Tuesday pulled out of the AIADMK alliance. The decision comes after three rounds of negotiations between the parties. Responding to the development, senior AIADMK leader and Fisheries Minister, D Jayakumar, termed it ‘unfortunate’.
Meanwhile, when asked if the DMDK would be taken into the alliance led by Makkal Neethi Maiam, if they approach, party chief Kamal Haasan said any like-minded party would be welcomed. Party sources said the DMDK has planned to release its first list of candidates, for at least 75 constituencies, on Wednesday.
The candidates will mostly be district secretaries of the party. One of the secretaries said, “If we later form an alliance with any party, our candidates will withdraw their nominations wherever needed.”The decision to fight the elections alone was taken at a meeting of district secretaries on Tuesday at the party headquarters. DMDK functionaries made strong remarks against the ruling party, vowed to win all 234 segments, and make Vijayakant the Chief Minister.
Engirundhalum vaazhga: Jayakumar
Party insiders said the exit could be used as an opportunity to project Premalatha Vijayakant as a prominent political face in the State. A party secretary from a central district, who attended the meeting, said leaders saw the allocation of 13 seats in the alliance as an insult. Another district secretary said, “Contesting alone is not new to us and we are not afraid to do so.
We did that in 2006 when our symbol was not familiar among the masses.” He added, “There are chances of various other twists as we have time to take decision till the last date to file nomination.” Soon after the news of the exit broke out, the party cadre celebrated by bursting crackers. It seems that it was a collective decision of the secretaries and functionaries.
On the Premalatha factor, Ko Thangamani, DMDK’s election in-charge, told Express: “There is a vacuum for a woman political leader in TN politics, created by the demise of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. We still have over 20 days to project Premalatha as a capable woman leader.” He further claimed that the party was capable of fielding candidates in all the 234 constituencies.
Meanwhile, minister Jayakumar, responding to the developments wished the best for the exiting partner and said: “Engirundhalum vaazhga”, that loosely translates to ‘prosper wherever you may be’. However he added that the AIADMK would be forced to respond if DMDK functionaries resort to mud slinging.
Festive cheer
The DMDK’s announcement was met with festive cheer by cadre in Tirunelveli, who hope that the decision would change the party’s fortunes. Celebrating the walkout from the AIADMK by distributing sweets in the city, DMDK workers voiced that they had only wished for the alliance to end.
DMDK State Traders’ Union Secretary Mohammed Ali said that the previous elections resulted in dispute over lack of coordination in the alliance. Their expectations also reportedly went unaddressed in the alliance following the 2019 polls.
BJP seats finalised
Following a two-hour meeting late on Tuesday, the BJP finalised the seats it will contest from within the AIADMK alliance. Later, a PMK delegation began talks with AIADMK to finalise their seats. Sources said in Chennai, the BJP wished for three constituencies — Harbour, Mylapore and Velachery. However, instead of Mylapore, Kolathur constituency was reportedly offered to the BJP. In other parts of the State, a ‘give and take’ policy was adopted. The seats will be announced on Wednesday morning while the BJP high command may announce its candidate list from Delhi in the evening