In the 2021 assembly election, DMK had very realistic chances of winning. The party swept the 2019 general election in the state, winning 38 out of 39 constituencies. The image makeover attempt by Stalin by embracing religion bear fruitful results for the party and his popularity soared in the last few years.
Therefore, Stalin is very optimistic about the result of the 2021 assembly election, but some party leaders are hell-bent to ensure its loss. Dayanidhi Maran, a senior leader of the party who had been Minister of Information and Communication Technology in the UPA government, abused the leaders of AIADMK.
“AIADMK (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) minister KT Rajenthra Bhalaji called PM his father. You can assume what relationship his mother must have with him then. When I point this out they yell at me but he called PM his father himself,” he said in a rally.
PM Modi used the statements of DMK leaders to highlight the misogyny and disrespect towards women in the Congress and DMK and urged the people to ensure that they do not come to power. “Congress and DMK have insulted the respected mother of Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister. God forbid, if they come to power, they will insult many other women of Tamil Nadu.” PM Modi added, “I want to tell the Congress and DMK- the people of Tamil Nadu are noting everything. They will never tolerate insult to the women of the state,” said Prime Minister Modi.
This is not the first time DMK leaders have abused the opposition leaders in such vulgar language. Previously, the poster-boy of UPA’s scam-tainted era, A Raja, abused the mother of Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi K. Palaniswami. In a campaign rally, comparing DMK chief MK Stalin to EPS, A Raja said that ‘Stalin was a true leader as he was born of pure blood and by legitimate means, whereas EPS was like “a premature baby” born out of an illegitimate relationship.’
Raja did not stop foul-mouthing EPS and continued with his verbal diarrhoea by comparing CM EPS’ worth to MK Stalin’s ‘slippers.’
“Till the other day, Edappadi Palaniswami worked in jaggery market, how can he be competition to Stalin? The value of Stalin’s chappal is more than you by one rupee. And he dares Stalin to challenge him?” Raja can be heard saying in the video.
DMK’s #ARaja being a constant…..!!! pic.twitter.com/MhBksTpvp6
— Balaji Duraisamy (@balajidtweets) March 26, 2021
The state assembly elections are scheduled to be held in a single phase on April 6 and it was earlier this month that the BJP and AIADMK sealed the seat-sharing numbers for the polls. According to the arrangement, BJP will contest from 20 seats of the total 234 seats in the Tamil Nadu Assembly whilst also fighting on the vacant Kanyakumari constituency after the demise of H Vasanthakumar of Congress.
The derogatory statements against CM EPS and his mother have created a sympathy wave for the leader among the people of Tamil Nadu. Like Prime Minister capitalised on the term “chaiwala” and “chowkidar” in two general elections, EPS is capitalising on his humble background that A Raja mocked.
The electoral machinery of BJP is ensuring that every mistake of DMK is capitalised on to generate support for EPS. The AIADMK was on the backfoot after it was routed by Stalin-led DMK in the 2019 general election, but since the party ensured that it will enter in an alliance with the BJP, BJP has revived its campaign with fresh faces as well as with fresh energy.
In the last few months, the BJP has increased its activities in the state to blow the bugle for the upcoming elections. Last month, Khushbu Sundar – one of the most popular actresses of Tamil Cinema, joined the BJP after she quit Congress on the grounds of being suppressed by the high command of the party. Also, former DMK MP K P Ramalingam, who has been suspended from the party a few months ago for speaking against M K Stalin and aligning with M K Alagiri, has joined the BJP in the presence of Amit Shah.
Amit Shah has crafted a formidable Mahagathbandhan in Tamil Nadu consisting of AIADMK, BJP and Alagiri which will make things even trickier for the DMK which is left with only the INC, which over the years has ended up hurting its alliance partners and acted as a parasite, with case in point being the 2016 West Bengal elections and the Bihar elections concluded in 2020. While the DMK can look for some support from Kamal Haasan, it is unlikely to change its fortunes as currently, it seems like the NDA will sweep Tamil Nadu in the assembly polls.
As a resident of TN, I tell you this report is very optimistic about ADMK’s chances. All op-polls and analyses predict a DMK win (albeit by a slender, viz., 15-20 seat margin). As for the vulgarity, Tamils revel in it. It is our idea of humor.