With the massive defeat suffered at the hands of T.T.V. Dhinakaran in the Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar bypoll, AIADMK’s coordinator O. Panneerselvam and co-coordinator Edappadi K. Palaniswami will find it difficult to retain their hold on the party and the government, according to analysts. And the fact that the result had come on a day when the party was observing the 30th death anniversary of its founder MGR is not lost on them.
“The AIADMK’s vote base has been depleting from 45% since the death of Jayalalithaa. The party is only writing its last chapter. If at all, the party can try to retain its vote base confined mostly to southern districts and aligned along caste lines,” contends Thamizharuvi Manian, founder, Gandhiya Makkal Iyakkam.
The charismatic personality of Mr. Dhinakaran is taking away the AIADMK workers, who have “no ideological commitment” and would only align with the winning candidate, Mr. Manian says, and predicts that the government would not survive beyond three months. “How can the government win the Assembly polls if the party cannot even win a bypoll?” he asks.
Political analyst P. Ramajayam says the bypoll has disproved the claim that the ‘two leaves’ symbol would help the party secure a win. “The setback commenced when there was a delay in finalising the candidate for the bypoll.”
“The anti-Sasikala sentiment within the party is not very strong as it is claimed to be. This also reflects in the weak command the joint leadership of two leaders has over the party,” he adds.
‘Not alarming’
However, AIADMK deputy coordinator K.P. Munusamy is not alarmed. “Everyone knows how he [Dhinakaran] won. But, as far as we are concerned, though the DMK lost its deposit this time, the contest would be between us and the DMK in the future,” he said.
