DMDK, BJP won’t impact DMK’s prospects: Karunanidhi

People of Tamil Nadu were in a mood to send the ruling party packing and give DMK a chance, says the DMK chief

DMK president M. Karunanidhi claimed that the alternative fronts to the DMK and AIADMK could affect the ruling party’s prospect. Photo: B. Jothi Ramalingam

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M. Karunanidhi on Thursday exuded confidence that alliances led by Desiya Murpokku Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMDK) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would not impact his party’s prospects in the May 16 assembly polls, and claimed that they may eat into the vote share of ruling AIADMK.

Having won 12 successive elections since 1957 and facing the 13th as the party’s Chief Ministerial candidate, the 93 year-old DMK patriarch said this election has painted a different picture due to the sheer size of the contestants, with some of them even naming Chief Ministerial candidates.

In an interview to PTI, the veteran Dravidian leader said that the parties projecting themselves as alternatives to both the DMK and the AIADMK will not be able to split the anti-incumbency votes and claimed they could affect the ruling party’s prospect.

Such a scenario will boost DMK’s chances in the elections, he said.

“They will not be able to split anti-incumbency votes.

They may cut into the AIADMK’s vote bank,” he said in response to a question on serious efforts among parties to emerge as an alternative to DMK and AIADMK and whether that would split anti-incumbency votes and affect DMK’s prospects.

Mr. Karunanidhi said that people of Tamil Nadu were in a mood to send the ruling party packing and give DMK a chance.

“The single most dominant issue in the minds of the people is change of Government — AIADMK Government should go— DMK should take over the Government,” he said when asked what was the dominant issue he perceived in the electoral battle.

Having made his electoral debut from Kulithalai in 1957, Mr. Karunanidhi said that each poll was different from the other.

“The difference depends upon the fighting parties and their leaders. The present election presents totally a different picture in view of the fact that too many parties are in the fray and some of them have named their Chief Ministerial Candidates,” he said.

The social media also played a “considerable role now”, the DMK chief, whose party is reaching to voters through all forms of media, said.