In an election where the voters of Tamil Nadu showed a clear preference for the two Dravidian parties, not only the proposed third front, but an ambitious platform that attempted to pool resources for Independent candidates was also obliterated.
Environmental activist S.P. Udayakumar managed only a fifth position at Radhapuram, despite four years of activism around the Kudankulam nuclear plant located in the constituency. Udayakumar, an Independent, secured 4,891 votes. “I did not contest to become an MLA and capture power. My party saw the election as a continuation of our protest around Kudankulam,” said Udayakumar, who had launched the Pachai Thamizhagam party ahead of elections. “I certainly expected more votes because that would have demonstrated popular support for our movement. However, I am happy that we effectively took our message across to the voters,” he said.
Udayakumar was the best-performing of the 111 candidates endorsed by the Puthiya Sakthi Front (PSF), which attempted to provide a platform for multiple organisations and Independent candidates. The PSF, whose USPs were its youngsters – some of whom had a post-flood momentum coming into the elections – and pro-prohibition policies, sunk without a trace. Only two candidates managed more than 1,000 votes. In most places, voters preferred NOTA over PSF-endorsed candidates, and at Dr. Radhakrisnan Nagar, its candidate ended up with 42 votes.
D. Jagadheeswaran, spokesperson of the PSF, admitted that the movement now faced an existential crisis. He belongs to the Lok Satta Party and contested from Ambattur in 2011, getting 973 votes. This time, even after the candidate got extensive media coverage because of her innovative campaigning – Narmadha Nandakumar went around on a bicycle – she polled only 267 votes in the same constituency.
Dharmalingam Venugopal did not join the PSF and contested as an Independent at Udagamandalam. Despite close to 30 years of environmental activism, Venugopal came last in the constituency, polling only 340 votes; NOTA accounted for 2,912 votes. “The newspapers ignored me, so much so that even my acquaintances thought I had dropped out of the race,” he said. Mr. Venugopal believes that his persistent focus on local issues forced other candidates to sing a different tune. “I came away with a small victory after the other candidates in my constituency copied issues I had talked about in my handbills,” he said.
Ilaignar Koottamaippu, which nominated 27 candidates – some endorsed by the PSF – notched around 11,450 votes in all. “We expected at least 25,000 votes. We will build on this; we are already preparing for the local body elections later this year. We will begin by registering the party,” said J. Sankar, Zonal Organising Committee member.
Sathyaa Durrairaj is among the few Independents who came away with a sense of relief. Endorsed by the Ilaignar Koottamippu, she came seventh at Mylapore after polling 1,764 votes. This put her even above Traffic Ramaswamy, a prominent activist. “I am happy because I managed to meet only about 1,200 voters while campaigning,” she said. She wants to contest the local body elections later this year.
Only two of the 111 candidates backed by Puthiya Sakthi Front polled more than 1,000 votes
