Tamil Nadu is bustling with election activity. The State goes to polls in a single phase on April 19. What are the battle lines like?
So who are the key players? Essentially it is a four-cornered contest. There is the DMK-led INDIA bloc; the AIADMK alliance; the BJP-led NDA; and director Seeman’s Naam Tamilar Kaatchi that will be contesting all alone in the 40 constituencies (Tamil Nadu’s 39 plus one from Puducherry). The Naam Tamilar Kaatchi has grown organically over the years, but it could play spoilsport perhaps by improving its vote share but is nowhere close to challenging its main contenders.
The DMK-led alliance appears way ahead of the others. Chief Minister MK Stalin has completed the seat-sharing exercise with all the allies.
As for the AIADMK, its general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami had exited the NDA last year hoping to cobble together a mega alliance but much to the shock of the party, it has failed to build a strong alliance to take on the INDIA bloc. The party was negotiating hard with the PMK, but the PMK was already negotiating with the BJP at the same time, and decided to join the NDA alliance.
The BJP under its State President Annamalai has succeeded in cobbling together its rainbow alliance.
If we compare the scene this time with 2019, there is a big difference because back then it was a battle between two big alliances, led by the DMK and the AIADMK. In some ways the situation could be compared with 2014 Lok Sabha polls, where the NDA was the third front.
We also look at the constituencies where we could witness close fights.
Presentation: D. Suresh Kumar
Production: Shibu Narayan
Videography: S. Shiva Raj
