DMK reconquers Chennai

Chennai

The victory margin made a telling commentary of the flood effect. After Kolathur, which Stalin retained by over 37,700 votes, it was Saidapet that fetched the DMK highest margin this time. 

Former mayor M Subaramanian trounced AIADMK strongman C Ponnaiyan, a newcomer to the area, by over 16,000 votes in the urban lower middle class constituency that was affected the worst in last year’s floods. 

Contribution of IUML and MMK to DMK was tangible in Chepauk-Triplicane constituency, where DMK’s J Anbazhagan routed AIADMK’s Noorjahan by over 14,000 votes. However, the party had a close shave at Annanagar, where debutant MK Mohan scraped through by a slender 1,800 vote margin, defeating AIADMK minister Gokula Indira. 

However, Ku Ka Selvam did not have that much difficulty in edging past his one-time friend and sitting AIADMK minister B Valarmathi in Thousand Lights, another constituency where the minority consolidation had helped DMK, by a convincing 9,000-vote margin. The party has also proved that the organisation prevails over individuals by getting defector Paruthi Ilamvazhuthi knocked out by political greenhorn KS Ravichandran in Egmore. 

That DMK was reconquering its lost forte (Stalin’s campaign also helped) was also evident from the party candidate’s performance in Chennai’s neighbourhood like Tambaram, Alandur, Pallavaram, Chengalpet, Shozhinganallur and Madhavaram where the party has romped home in style, unlike a few seats where the margin was only in a few hundreds.

Even in Perambur, DMK’s candidate NR Dhanabalan lost only by five hundred votes. DMK treasurer MK Stalin said, “People of Chennai have seen the ugly face of AIADMK,” subtly hinting at AIADMK regime’s mismanagement during the recent floods.

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