In all the southern and central districts of Tamil Nadu, the Edappadi Palaniswami government does not appear to be facing significant antitrust. However, what seems to cost the CM is their perceived “submission” to the BJP duo “Modi-Shah”.
In the AIADMK-led alliance, the BJP has received 20 seats. In the 2016 Assembly polls, the BJP won 2.84% of the vote in 188 seats, lost deposits in 180, and won none.
The specter of the BJP also weighs heavily because, while EPS is seen as efficient and praised for holding AIADMK together after J Jayalalithaa’s death, there doesn’t seem to be much value in memory of his government’s accomplishments. Lacking both the charisma of Jayalalithaa and the oratory of M. Karunanidhi, EPS fails to convey this.
Minorities (Christians at 6.12% of the population and Muslims at 5.86% are the largest groups) are also upset by AIADMK’s alliance with the BJP.
Rajeshwari, who has a shop in Melur near Madurai, and hails from the neighboring district of Sivaganga, says: “My family has always supported Amma (Jayalalithaa), but this time, let’s see.”
A woman in the next store who does not want to be identified says: “The AIADMK should not have linked with the BJP … What has Modi done for Tamil Nadu?”
In the village of Valayapatti in Virudhunagar, Eshwari says that she will vote for Two Leaves (the symbol of AIADMK), as for her it will always be Amma’s party.
Barring a few constituencies, third-party players, be it Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam or TTV Dinakaran’s AMMK, don’t appear to be in the fray. However, the AMMK could reduce AIADMK votes in some places.
In Thirumangalam, near Madurai, Vijay, a truck driver, believes that EPS has “bowed” to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (By the way, a defining image of EPS is paying its respects to Jayalalithaa’s confidant, Sasikala, in this way.) Belonging to the village of Chief Deputy Minister O Panneerselvam, he has always voted for the AIADMK, says Vijay, but not now. “I drive my truck to many states. No one has surrendered to the Center like our government ”.
A few days ago, in a curious clarification, the AIADMK said that its alliance with the BJP was only “electoral”, that there was no “miscegenation of ideologies.” Shaktivel, a local AIADMK official in Tirunelveli, says Shaktivel, “The BJP has only been awarded 20 seats. The subject of the BJP will not arise outside these 20 seats ”.
But in Tenkasi, Aziz Kani, an electrician, says AIADMK shouldn’t think that its association with the BJP is not being noticed elsewhere. He says this is “the only reason” that Muslims will vote for the DMK this time.
Aziz adds that for Muslims, it is not even a factor that the AMMK has put forward a Muslim candidate in Tenkasi.
“This time the vote is to defeat AIADMK because it is with the BJP. There is no community decision as such … everyone knows all these things, ”says Aziz’s friend, Shahul Hameed.
Tiruchi Siva, senior leader of DMK, says there is great disenchantment with AIADMK. “People are upset.”
Unsure of the minority vote, AIADMK is closely watching female voters, long the mainstay of Jayalalithaa. The party has promised free washing machines and travel concessions for women.
Meanwhile, there is another rumor about the government as the day of the vote approaches, April 1. Voters talk about the distribution of the money and that there could be a blockage after the vote to do some “gol maal” (irregularities), since there is a month left until the day of the count.
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