Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry are set to witness one of the toughest electoral battles of recent times as both the State and the UT go to the polls to elect 40 representatives (39 from TN and a lone member from the UT) on Friday.
What Tamil Nadu witnessed once the Election Commission of India announced the poll schedule was a gruelling campaign despite the scorching heat of the summer. There are three fronts vying with one another for the top honours. The main contender (at least on paper ) is the DMK and its allies that include the Indian National Congress, CPI(M), CPI, and caste and community outfits like DMDK, VCK, Muslim League and some fringe elements. The DMK has fielded 22 candidates while the Congress has been allocated nine seats.
The AIADMK, which disintegrated into many factions, is leading a front that include MDMK, the Islamic outfit SDPI and Puthiya Tamizhagam.
The AIADMK, which consists of Edappadi Palaniswamy and his henchmen, is contesting from 32 constituencies while the MDMK founded by late Vijayakanth is contesting from five seats.
The NDA-led by the BJP and its youthful State chief K Annamalai has Pattali Makkal Katchi, Tamil Manila Congress, Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhakam led by TTV Dhinakaran and an independent by name O Panneerselvam (yes, the three time Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu but right now a politician without a party).
The BJP has 23 candidates in the line-up while the PMK has 10 and the TMC has fielded three candidates. Out of the 23 candidates fielded by the BJP, four candidates belonging to various fringe outfits contest under the Lotus symbol. The most keenly watched bout is at Coimbatore where Annamalai is taking on the DMK and the AIADMK rivals.
"This is going to be an election with a difference as Annamalai is leading a rejuvenated BJP and there is a general feeling that the Hindutva party would win in at least five seats," said GC Shekhar, veteran journalist.
The DMK led front's main drawback is an internal contradiction. The Congress is campaigning together with MDMK-led by Vaiko and VCK-led by Thol Thirumavalavan. Both Vaiko and Thirumavalavan are supporters of Veluppillai Prabhakaran and the terrorist outfit LTTE which played a major role in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
Vaiko and Thirumavalavan light up lamps and organise memorial meetings on the birth day of Prabhakaran whom they address as Thampi and Annan respectively.
The main contenders in the DMK include Kanimozhi, Karunanidhi's daughter by his third wife Rajathi, from Thoothukudi and her close "friend" A Raja, the 2G spectrum scam tainted former Union Minister (who is pitted against Union Minister Murugan of the BJP).
For the AIADMK, it is a fight for survival as most founder leaders of the party and the Thevar community bigwigs have left the party. Edappadi Palaniswamy, the general secretary of the party, is its star campaigner. But what stands out in the DMK and the AIADMK is the absence of a leader with charisma.
Karti Chidambaram is seeking reelection from Sivaganga as his father and former Finance Minister P Chidambaram is getting old and not in the best of health.
Dr Tamizhissai Sounderarajan, former governor of Telangana, Pon Radhakrishnan, former Union Minister, Radhika Sarathkumar, the yesteryear glamourous star, Khushbu, another film star who was a favourite of late M Karunanidhi, Nayanar Nagendran, a prominent AIADMK leader who joined the saffron brigade are the others whose fortunes would be sealed on Friday.
There is a string of anti-incumbency waves against the DMK because of massive corruption and reckless financial mismanagement. But the anti-DMK votes are likely to get split in most of the constituencies between the AIADMK and the BJP which would end up in DMK candidates emerging victorious in many constituencies.
An interesting development in this poll is what awaits the AIADMK. If Palaniswamy fails in mobilising at least 30 per cent of the votes and the BJP walks away with more than 25 per cent votes, the 2026 Assembly poll would be between DMK and the BJP.
