AMMK fails to make a difference

The failure of the AMMK, led by T.T.V. Dhinakaran, to make major inroads into the AIADMK’s vote bank has put paid to his immediate plans to project himself as a strong alternative leader. Though the party fielded Independent candidates in the Parliamentary election and the Assembly bypolls, it was only able to cobble up an estimated vote share of about 5%. Its star candidates — Thangatamilsevan, Palaniappan and Vetrivel — all disqualified MLAs, were not able to garner significant votes or even push the AIADMK front to the third place in the areas where the DMK front won. However, in some Assembly constituencies, it played spoiler for the AIADMK by securing votes in greater numbers than the victory/lead margins of the DMK candidates. Mr. Thangatamilselvan, however, was on the defensive. “Basically, people wanted a change in both the Cental and State governments, and hence, voted against the BJP-AIADMK. That was their primary aim,” he said. Political analyst P. Ramajayam said the focus of the AMMK, which was mostly on the AIADMK, was a major reason behind its poor show. “When the mood of the State was clearly anti-Modi, Mr. Dhinakaran didn’t project himself as being as much against Mr. Modi as the DMK did. The AMMK was targeting the AIADMK and Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami’s ‘betrayal’. But the ‘betrayal’ was more of an internal issue of the party,” he contended.

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