Dinakaran’s AMMK Fails To Have Much Impact On LS Poll Result In Tamil Nadu, Ends Up Third In Many Seats

The Amma Makkal Munnetra Katchi (AMMK), launched a year ago by TTV Dinakaran after being expelled from the All India Dravida Kazhagam (AIADMK) has dented the chances of the National Democratic Alliance in only two Lok Sabha constituencies in Tamil Nadu.

This is out of the 38 seats for the Lok Sabha in the states besides the lone seat in Puducherry. Elections to the Vellore Lok Sabha Constituencies were cancelled after cash to the tune of Rs 10 crore was found the premises of the DMK candidate Kathir Anand.

The AIADMK led the NDA coalition in Tamil Nadu along with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Pattali Makkal Katchi, Desiya Murpokku Dravida Katchi and Puthiya Tamizhagam.

The constituencies where AMMK dented NDA chances were Chidambaram and Ramanathapuram. In Chidambaram, Thol Thirumavalavan won by merely 3,000-odd votes with AMMK candidate getting 61,000 votes.

In Ramanathapuram, the AMMK candidate got 1.10 lakh votes, whereas BJP’s hope Nainar Nagendran lost by 90,000 votes.

In the by-elections to the 22 Assembly constituencies, AMMK has affected the prospects of the AIADMK in four constituencies. Of the 22 constituencies, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) won 13 and AIADMK the rest.

In the Assembly bypolls, the AMMK affected chances of AIADMK in Ottapidaram, Andipatti, Thiruparankundram and Periyakulam constituencies. These are strongholds of the Thevar community, which has been a strong supporter of TTV Dinakaran.

TTV Dinakaran, nephew of the late Jayalalithaa aide Sasikala Natarajan, was expelled from the AIADMK after he tried to wrest control of the state administration by trying to oust Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami. He made the efforts after he won from RK Nagar constituency in Chennai which fell vacant after Jayalalithaa’s death.

By-polls to 22 Assembly constituencies were caused after 18 MLAs were expelled by AIADMK for writing a letter to the Tamil Nadu Governor seeking replacement of the chief minister. Four other vacancies were caused by the death of representatives, including DMK patron and former chief minister K Karunanidhi.

According to statistics available from the Election Commission, the AMMK garnered 5.2 per cent votes in Lok Sabha elections. The party ended finishing third in 21 of the 38 constituencies. It finished fourth in seven constituencies and fifth in 11 constituencies.

The party failed to make much impact in urban areas.

In the by-elections, the fledgeling party was third in 19 of the 22 constituencies, fourth in one constituency and fifth in two constituencies.

The AIADMK is making overtures to the AMMK to merge with it following the results to the Lok Sabha. The AMMK had set tough conditions for the merger but it could water down its riders following the results. TTV Dinakaran is vehemently opposed to having an alliance with the BJP.