Despite winning a majority, there were a few negative surprises in store for the ruling AIADMK. While five of its sitting ministers failed to retain their seats, potential candidates who could have secured ministerial berths in the new government were also defeated.
Senior Minister Natham R. Viswanathan, who is number three in the AIADMK ministry after Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and O.P. Paneerselvam, was defeated in Attur constituency by former DMK minister I. Periyasamy. Another minister R. Vaithilingam failed to win from the Orathanadu constituency. P. Mohan also lost the election.
In Chennai, two women ministers — B. Valaramathi and Gokula Indira — lost to DMK candidates in Thousand Lights and Anna Nagar constituencies respectively. Ms. Gokula Indira lost the election by a narrow margin of 1,687 votes.
Panruti S. Ramachandran, who quit the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) and joined the AIADMK, could have secured a berth in the ministry if he had won the Alandur constituency.
Similarly, defeat at the hands of former Mayor Ma. Subramaniam in Saidapet constituency closed the doors for C. Ponnaiyan, who was the finance minister in the AIADMK government between 2001 and 2006.
While the AIADMK’s performance in Tirunelveli district was by and large good, former minister Nainar Nagenthran could not win.
