CHENNAI: With the aging party leader handing over the reins of the party, which is becoming irrelevant, to his son, who does not have any experience in politics, victory was the only way to revive the party. But, MDMK's Durai Vaiko has delivered in Trichy.
By securing 5.42 lakh votes in Trichy, Durai Vaiko defeated P Karuppaiah of AIADMK by a margin of 3.13 lakh votes.
"The party needed Durai to win so that the party cadres could be motivated. Despite the election commission denying the 'Top' symbol and DMK coercing us to contest using 'Rising Sun' symbol, we were firm on contesting on our own symbol. This is a victory that the party needed the most, " a party functionary expressed.
Touted to be an alternative to DMK and AIADMK during its nascent days, Vaiko, who is famous for long marches, lost his way and decided to not contest in 2011 assembly elections.
Moreover, his decision to join NDA for 2014 elections and coming out of the alliance even before NDA's Modi took oath as the prime minister, forming a Makkal Nala Kootani for 2015 assembly elections did not bode well for the party. MDMK also lost its 'Top' symbol on the way.
In 2019 LS polls, DMK allocated Erode constituency to MDMK but made it to contest under 'Rising Sun'.
"Contesting using DMK's symbol may have confirmed the victory easily. But, we feared that this would affect the party's future. Moreover, there were rumors saying that MDMK will merge with DMK. We were firm on contesting in our own symbol (match box) and we won, " the functionary said.