Vijayakanth’s DMDK opts out of NDA ahead of Tamil Nadu polls, vows to defeat AIADMK

DMDK chief Vijayakant has formally pulled out of the AIADMK-led alliance in Tamil Nadu after seat-sharing talks failed on Tuesday.

In a statement on Tuesday, DMDK chief Vijayakant said, “In the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections 2021, DMDK held talks with AIADMK in three sittings. The AIADMK refused to allot the requested numbers of the seats and the demanded seats. So as the negotiations did not reach a desired conclusion and since all of DMDK district secretaries reached a decision, DMDK has decided to quit AIADMK and DMDK alliance from March 9.”

Addressing reporters, DMDK Deputy General Secretary L K Sudhish, also Vijayakant’s brother-in-law, said party workers would ensure the ruling party is defeated in all 234 constituencies. “Today is Deepavali for us. AIADMK will lose its deposit in all constituencies. Our cadres will work across the state to defeat them,” he said.

The assembly elections in Tamil Nadu are scheduled for April 6 in a single phase and the results will be declared on May 2.

The decision of DMDK walking out has come after AIADMK announced its first list of six candidates in which Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edapaddi Palaniswami will contest from Edappadi constituency while its other top leader and Deputy Chief Minister O Pannerselvam will contest from Bodinayakanur.

‘Captain’ Vijaykanth of the DMDK went on to become the leader of Opposition in Tamil Nadu after winning 29 of the 41 seats the party contested in 2011, thereby weakening the power of the DMK. However, in the subsequent Assembly elections in 2016, Vijaykanth’s DMDK was floored completely after contesting in alliance with CPI(M), CPI, MDMK, and VCK. After exiting AIADMK-led NDA, it will be interesting to see if DMDK approaches the third-front comprising of Kamal Haasan’s MNM, Owaisi’s AIMIM, Sarath Kumar’s AISMK, and Paarivendhar’s IJK.