Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) leader TTV Dhinakaran had vowed to bring down the AIADMK government but failed to make any impact in the recently concluded by-polls to 22 Assembly constituencies. The party was unable to break the AIADMK vote bank.

By winning nine seats in the by-polls, the ruling party now has a majority with 123 seats in the 234-member Assembly. This will ensure that it stays in power, and is expected to complete its term. The DMK won 13 seats.

Out of the 22 vacancies, 18 were triggered by the disqualification of MLAs by the Assembly Speaker in 2017 on anti-defection grounds for openly criticising Chief Minister Palaniswami and switching loyalty to Dhinakaran. The remaining four vacancies in Thiruvarur, Sulur, Thirupparankundram, and Hosur were created by the death or conviction of the incumbents. AMMK came third in 21 constituencies but the cumulative vote share was less than 5 per cent. In Perambur, Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam came third, pushing AMMK to the fourth position. The party’s star candidates – V Pugazhendi (Hosur) and P Vetrivel (Perambur) – could not even garner 5 per cent of votes.

The AMMK, however, spoiled the victory chances in four places each of both the AIADMK (in Tiruparankundram, Periakulam, Ottapidaram and Andipatti) and DMK (in Harur, Manamadurai, Sulur and Sattur). In these constituencies, its candidates polled more votes than the victory margin. Dhinakaran said winning and losing is natural in politics. “We bow to the people’s verdict,” he tweeted.

Political observers feel that Dhinakaran focussed only on toppling the government rather than on core issues affecting people. The poor performance in both the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls has put a big question mark on Dhinakaran’s political ambition of taking on the AIADMK. However, Dhinakaran tweeted that he would fight back.

comment COMMENT NOW