Ruling camp needs DMDK to consolidate votes in bypolls
After facing several odds, the AIADMK was successful in roping in the DMDK into its alliance for the upcoming Parliamentary elections and also for the bypoll to the 18 constituencies. It was done only for the reason that the DMDK holds the key in the bypoll despite its poor show in 2016 Assembly elections.
By : migrator
Update: 2019-03-11 21:47 GMT
Chennai
The DMDK, since its foundation, had faced five elections so far. In the first two elections, 2006 Assembly elections and 2009 Lok Sabha elections, the DMDK contested alone and got more than 8 per cent, in 2006 and more than 10 per cent in 2009 elections.
However, in 2011 the DMDK aligned with the AIADMK and attained the status of opposition party by winning 29 seats. With the rapid rise, the DMDK aligned with the BJP and the PMK in 2014 Lok Sabha elections and contested in 14 seats but could not win a single seat.
The Lok Sabha elections of 2014 marked the party’s downward trend and it reflected in 2016 Assembly elections where the party once again failed to get even a single seat. The total vote share of the party plunged to all time low of 2.4 per cent.
Despite the fall in percentage, the DMDK was able to hold sway in the alliance talks with the AIADMK. Even though the DMDK was involved in ally hunting by involving in talks between the DMK and the AIADMK on the same day, the party was able to get four seats in the AIADMK alliance.
The AIADMK roped in the DMDK into the alliance despite the latter’s dwindling vote percentage to consolidate votes in the bypoll. According to the DMDK sources, the party contested in seven constituencies out of the 18 Assembly constituencies in 2016 Assembly elections and polled substantial votes.
The AIADMK is eying for the extra votes of the DMDK to make sure that it wins all the 18 constituencies, said the sources.
Political experts are also of the same opinion that the AIADMK will gain from the DMDK support in 18 constituencies. Speaking to DT Next, political expert Raveendran Duraisamy said, “The AIADMK will be able to get the average 3 per cent vote share of DMK in all the 18 constituencies. But on the other side the DMDK will get at least 10 per cent lesser votes when compared to the AIADMK and the BJP in all the four Lok Sabha constituencies that it is contesting.”
He also said that the AIADMK will get on an average 5,000 votes more in every constituency by having the DMDK in their alliance.
Aspirants asked to come with degree certificates for interview
The DMDK will conduct interview for candidates who have shown interest for contesting in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, on Wednesday. In a press note, DMDK founder, Vijayakant said that those who have submitted their application forms will be interviewed on Wednesday. “The interview will be held on a single day and will be presided over by me. All the candidates who wish to contest should appear for the interview with their degree certificates,” said Vijayakant.
The interview will commence at 10 am and the applicants should produce their party membership card along with the voter ID card and community certificate, if they want to contest in reserved constituencies. The DMDK started distributing applications for party cadres on February 24 and the applications were received till March 6. More than 500 DMDK supporters showed interest in contesting. According to DMDK sources, as the party is given only four seats in the AIADMK alliance, not all the DMDK cadres who submitted the application forms will attend the interview.
CAPTAIN’S PUSH
DMDK contested in seven seats out of the 18 constituencies which are going to face bypolls.
Votes obtained by the party in 2016 Assembly elections in seven constituencies
1. Sholingur : 6,167
2. Ambur : 7,043
3. Hosur : 7,780
4. Pappireddipattti : 9,441
5. Nilakottai : 7,666
6. Andipatti : 10,776
7. Thanjavur : 1,534
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