The Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK), led by T.T.V. Dhinakaran, can upset the prospects of the ruling AIADMK in several Assembly constituencies if it repeats its 2019 Lok Sabha election performance.
A perusal of the AMMK’s performance in nine Lok Sabha constituencies, covering 54 Assembly segments, reveals its average vote share was at least 10% in 22 constituencies and a little short of 10% in seven. Other than 12 Assembly segments in the Tiruchi and Thanjavur Lok Sabha constituencies in the Cauvery delta region, the remaining seats are in the southern districts. In absolute figures, the party’s highest vote tally was in Mudukulathur of Ramanathapuram district with 38,106. In terms of vote share too, this was the highest, with 20.14% of the votes polled.
During the byelection to 22 Assembly constituencies two years ago, the AMMK was responsible for the defeat of the AIADMK in Andipatti, Periyakulam, Ottapidaram and Tirupparankundram, all in the southern region, as it had polled more votes than the margin of difference between the ruling party and the winner DMK. This factor and a few other developments have compelled the AIADMK to make overtures to the Mukkulathor (“Thevar”), say two senior functionaries. They add that the AMMK got a considerable amount of support from the community two years ago.
To back their contention, they refer to the conciliatory statements of Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, who is seeking re-election from Bodinayakkanur, and Information Minister Kadambur C. Raju, who is pitted against Mr. Dhinakaran in Kovilpatti, towards the party’s former interim general secretary, V.K. Sasikala, who belongs to the community. They also point to the remarks of Revenue Minister R.B. Udhayakumar, who is contesting in Thirumangalam, on the 10.5% quota for Vanniyars. The office-bearers concede that the ground reality is such that their organisation, which has nominated 37 persons of the community, cannot win in the southern region without the support of the Mukkulathors.
“They [the Mukkulathor] are among our [the party’s] traditional voters,” points out former Ramanathapuram Member of Parliament A. Anwhar Raajhaa. The party is conscious that it requires their support. “I hope my party will continue to have their support. There is no way that it can lose theirs,” he adds.
Reacting to the statements of Mr. Panneerselvam and Mr. Raju, AMMK spokesperson C.R. Saraswathi says, “We are happy that they [AIADMK leaders] have, at last, begun saying what we have always been saying about Chinnamma [Ms. Sasikala] — a person who was fully devoted to Amma [Jayalalithaa].”
