S. Semmalai, the AIAMDK candidate for Mettur constituency and former minister, had won from the now defunct Taramangalam constituency in Salem district as an independent in 1980 elections, overcoming the MGR wave that swept the elections then.
Semmalai had joined the AIADMK at a very young age. It was MGR who fielded him as party candidate in Taramangalam constituency in the very first Assembly election the party faced in 1977. Despite the hard work, Mr. Semmalai suffered a defeat by a margin of mere 19 votes at the hands of Kuttapatti R. Narayanan of Congress.
Following the dismissal of the MGR-led government by the Centre, the AIADMK joined hands with CPI, CPI (M) and other parties and faced the 1980 elections. To his shock, the constituency was allotted to the CPI.
While the local cadre urged him to contest as an independent, Mr. Semmalai was hesitant as there was a big sympathy wave in favour of MGR as people felt that his government was dismissed without any reason.
Yet, he was compelled by cadre to contest as an independent. The Congress-DMK combine fielded the incumbent, Mr. Narayanan.
The results would have shocked MGR. Mr. Semmalai polled 49,597 votes against 27,214 votes polled by the Congress nominee to win by a margin of 22,383 votes. The CPI candidate, despite AIADMK support, finished a poor third with a votes tally of 3,909 votes.
In appreciation of his victory, MGR later re-admitted Mr. Semmalai into the party.
