CHENNAI: The election is a few months away and the formal notification has not yet come. But the ruling and opposition fronts in Tamil Nadu have geared up for what promises to be a bruising fight to retain or reclaim the seat in Fort St George, while the challenger, TVK, got a shot in the arm after the poll panel allotted it the Whistle symbol that is identified with its leader and mascot, Vijay.
In a letter to party cadres on the occasion of Mozhipor Thiyagigal Day, Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin said the ensuing election would be another ideological battle between Aryan and the Dravidian movement, a continuation of the historic struggle to protect Tamil identity, language, and rights, and asserted that the Dravidian model government would return to power with a resounding victory.
Stalin exhorted the cadre to take a pledge to defeat the BJP and its "subservient” allies.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to formally launch the NDA’s election rally near Chennai on Friday, where the leaders from alliance parties would share the stage with him. Political circles here expect him to unleash a stringent attack on the DMK, with particular focus on the recent Tiruparankundram deepathoon row.
A day ahead of the launch, Union Minister and the BJP’s election in-charge for Tamil Nadu, Piyush Goyal, held a meeting with AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami at the latter’s Greenways Road residence, during which they discussed ways to ensure cohesion within the alliance, especially at the grassroots level. Sources said the discussion also covered engagement with parties such as the AMMK, PMK, and DMDK.
Addressing the press along with Goyal, Palaniswami said Modi's rally would mark a decisive moment ahead of the Assembly elections. "This rally will be a turning point. It will pave the way for the defeat of the corrupt DMK regime," he said.
Elsewhere, the fledgling TVK received a major boost after it the Election Commission on Thursday allotted the 'Whistle' as the common election symbol for the coming election. A senior TVK leader said the move would help avoid voter confusion and ensure clarity on the ballot. The allotment of a common symbol provides uniformity and ensures that the party candidates contesting across the State are recognisable, the functionary said.
In the same communication, the Commission allotted the 'Battery Torch' symbol to Kamal Haasan’s MNM for the Assembly elections.