The current Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (ADMK) government has done quite a decent job in handling the COVID-19 crisis but people expected something more than what the government delivered. Meanwhile, DMK has taken every advantage of politicizing this crisis. Also, the two major parties bickering with themselves in front of the public give neither a big edge.
Still, Chennai and suburban areas of the city are measured as the stronghold of DMK. Party is also considerably sturdy in northern Tamil Nadu and in the Cauvery Delta belt. DMK is traditionally weak in the western belt and southern belt. After the AMMK split from ADMK, the party has considerably gained in the South, but it is still weak in western Tamil Nadu but that will not make much difference to the party.
Ousted former AIADMK chief VK Sasikala’s sudden announcement that she will “step aside from politics and public life” gives benefit to All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and a setback to her nephew and Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) leader TTV Dhinakaran.
By any remote chance, if the AIADMK-NDA wins, Sasikala’s self-imposed political isolation may extend longer and she would need to wait for an appropriate time to strike. Currently, there are two major parties grouped along with some minor parties that are having chances to win in the 2021 election.
2021 is a tough election and it is going to be difficult for ADMK because TTV Dhinakaran formed a new party called Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) which contested in the 2019 election and this party gained a 5 percent share of votes. This 5 percent of the votes are traditional ADMK voters.
Naveen Kumar a Bank employee from Tamil Nadu said, “It is very early to decide which part will win because a lot of things are happening around the political scenario in the state. But still, the DMK landslide is for sure if the current political scenario persists and the current party alliances continue till the election.”
AIADMK has lost a considerable vote share after the demise of Jayalalithaa who had a mass appeal among the public.
Ahmad Thaha, a Tannery owner told Afternoon Voice, “People prefer DMK to restore the pride of Tamils and to drive out Hindi imposition. Get our freedom to speak, and to destroy pseudo nationalism. We don’t want to communal hate in our state.”
J Sudkhakaran, a hotelier said, “We common people of Tamil Nadu very well know the fact that both ADMK and DMK are second to none when it comes to corruption. But as a commoner one main difference to note is that ADMK from the very start has been very careful in not ripping apart/ stealing from Poor and Middle-Class people. But they have a lot of internal issues, somewhere voters lost faith.”
The party’s vote share in the 2019 Indian general election was merely 19 percent. The same party secured 44 percent in the 2014 Indian general election when Jayalalithaa was the leader. Sasikala has now clearly taken a decent stand, not just staying away from politics but pleading for the AIADMK to retain power in the April 6 election.
Sathish Kumar, working for an IT firm as Team Head said, “Rasing sun (DMK) will burn the lotus (BJP) and give hope to all Tamilians.”
A Dental surgeon from Tamil Nadu Bijvin Raj said, “DMK has done a lot for the economical as well as the socio-cultural development of the state and our people.”
S Vaithiyanathan, works as a Language Lead for Tamil at an IT firm said, “I support DMK to prosper to keep Tamil Nadu away from communalist.”
DMK is expected to win the 2021 elections on the alliance arithmetic and the possibility of alliance formation. However, still there are months of time for the election and anything can happen in the due course.
