ISSN (Online) - 2349-8846 Politics and Protest: Who Will Win in Tamil Nadu? RAHUL N Rahul N (
[email protected]) teaches at the Institute of Management in Government, Thiruvananthapuram. Vol. 54, Issue No. 17, 27 Apr, 2019 Is it possible for the DMK to come to power in Tamil Nadu in light of the recent splintering witnessed by the AIADMK? The 2014 Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu resulted in a resounding victory for the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) which secured 38 out of 40 seats, while the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) failed to win even one. The DMK received only 23% of the vote share while the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) alliance bagged around 18% (Ramajayam 2014). The AIADMK victory was credited to the goodwill generated by Jayalalithaa's welfare measures. The DMK was still coping with the consequences of the power transfer from Karunanidhi to Stalin. The ghosts of corruption and aggrandisement continue to haunt the party. It could form an alliance with only two parties—Thirumavalavan’s Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and Krishnasamy’s Puthiya Thamaizhagam—both of which are Dalit parties. The NDA had managed to cut the prospects of the DMK by roping in Vijayakanth’s party, Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK)which was then the principal opposition party, along with Vaiko’s Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) and Anbumani Ramadoss’ Vanniyar caste-based party, Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK). The Congress, which had ISSN (Online) - 2349-8846 contested alone, received more than 4% of the votes in the election, but it did not win a seat.