CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu urban civic polls turned out to be a huge opportunity for the ruling DMK to consolidate its position, and emerge stronger and larger in the political landscape, diminishing the arch-rival AIADMK's image further.
This year's polls not only saw AIADMK's fortunes ebb dismally, after enjoying power for a decade but also saw the BJP expand its presence.
The DMK's spectacular win in the February 19 polls, the results of which were announced on February 22, is attributed largely to Chief Minister M K Stalin's governance during the nine months in office.
"The DMK's resounding win is an endorsement of Chief Minister M K Stalin's welfare politics and the way he governed the state. He has become a model chief minister and popular too, among the chief ministers in the country," asserted A Saravanan, DMK spokesperson. His party proved the opposition AIADMK wrong.
"The AIADMK alleged that the DMK did not fulfill its poll assurances. Our Chief Minister gave a report card which the people accepted resulting in the rejection of the AIADMK," the senior leader told PTI on the Dravidian major's impressive victory.
The big win, which cast the die for the DMK to remain firmly on the saddle, was achieved with Stalin opting to virtually campaign for his party candidates and those of the allies from here, citing stringent COVID-19 safety protocols.
Perhaps, he is the only chief minister who made a mark in piloting his party to victory without having to hectically tour the state during the election.
"The defeat is a temporary phenomenon. The cadres and people are still with us. We will bounce back to victory in the next assembly elections," a senior AIADMK leader said.
A senior DMK leader accused the AIADMK leaders of being concerned only to protect themselves and not the party. "Hence the humiliating defeat. Their leaders should introspect," he said.
Contending that the BJP had proved the Congress wrong on not gaining a foothold in Tamil Nadu, BJP state general secretary Karu Nagarajan said his party put up a strong fight against the money and muscle power of certain political parties and gained the people's acceptance.
"We finished second after the ruling DMK and third after DMK and AIADMK in several wards. Our vote share increased to 10 percent from 8 across the state and in Chennai it rose to 8.04 percent from 3 in the past," he claimed.
This election result showed the BJP's growth, despite the party leadership deciding to contest the elections alone at the eleventh hour, he said.
"Inspite of the last minute decision to go it alone, we worked hard against the money and muscle power of some parties and gained the acceptance of the people," Nagarajan told PTI on Wednesday.
People can expect many changes in politics and achievements from the BJP in future, he added.
BJP chief K Annamalai claimed that his party won in areas where we haven't had a public representative before.
"We are officially the 3rd largest party after DMK and AIADMK in Tamil Nadu," he said.
The DMK won 153 wards out of 200 in the Greater Chennai Corporation council elections while the opposition AIADMK managed to win only 15 seats.
DMK's allies, the Congress won 13, CPI (M) and VCK 4 each, MDMK: 2 while CPI and IUML won a seat each. Besides 5 independents, the BJP and AMMK won one seat each.
The opposition party failed to win in all the 21 corporations and conceded defeat to the DMK.
Interestingly, G Mohanraj of actor Vijay's fan club (Vijay Makkal Iyakkam) won from a ward in Ranipet municipality.
The swearing-in of the newly elected councillors will be held on March 2 at 10 am while the mayors and deputy mayors would be elected on March 4.