Though the lok Sabha elections are nine months away, Tamil Nadu’s two main parties launched their electoral war in their own unique style. Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswamy, who is also the co-coordinator of the AIADMK along with his Deputy O Panneerselvam, chose the temple town of Madurai to sound the bugle for the ‘battle’ lying ahead .
Udhayanidhi Stalin, son of DMK working president M K Stalin made his formal entry into the big political league by hoisting party flags in various places in Kancheepuram district on Sunday to mark the 95th birth day of his grandfather and party president M Karunanidhi. Though the official birthday of Karunanidhi was on June 3, the party managers chose Sunday to celebrate the party chief’s birthday and also to launch Udhayanidhi into active politics because of astrological reasons.
Anbumani Ramdoss, the young leader of the DMK announced on Monday that his party’s five-year long marriage with the BJP was over. “We don’t have any kind of ties with the BJP,” said Ramdoss. Party insiders hinted of a possible tie-up with the DMK.
Palaniswamy declared late on Sunday evening that his party would sweep all the seats from Tamil Nadu (39) and Puducherry (one) in the ensuing lok Sabha polls which may happen in May 2019. The run up to the lok Sabha poll would see AIADMK leaders undertaking cycle rallies in all the 39 Parliamentary constituencies in the State to spread details of the “good works” being done by the Palaniswamy Government. “If we stay united, tomorrow is ours and all 40 seats will be ours,” declared Palaniswamy as the jam-packed stadium greeted his words with thunderous applause. The AIADMK leaders did not spell out anything about their possible allies or friends which gave indications that the party may go it alone in the hustings.
Udhayanidhi became the first person to hoist the party flag despite the fact that he does not hold any positions in the party. “We do not know anything. It has been decided by the party leadership that Udhayanidhi would hoist the flag and that’s it,” said a senior office bearer of the party.
The actor-son of Stalin had hinted many times recently that he would be seen in action in party matters frequently unlike in the past when he maintained a distance from matters of the DMK. The Dravidian major is in the process of firming up a rainbow alliance in time for the lok Sabha election.
The MDMK led by Vaiko declared on Sunday that the party was ready for any sacrifice to get DMK to power. This was stated by Vaiko himself through a statement issued from Malaysia where he is holidaying. The CPI(M) polit bureau member G Ramakrishnan said on Sunday that his party’s prime objective was to defeat the “communal” BJP and their regional allies. Though Ramakrishnan did not announce it openly, the chances of the left parties forgoing alliance with the DMK have brightened.