DMK reasserts its dominance
When Chief Minister M.K. Stalin turned prophet by predicting a 40/40 win for the DMK and its allies in Tamil Nadu, many saw it as bravado and brash confidence.
Even among the sceptics, there was little doubt that the DMK would do well in the three Parliamentary constituencies in the city.
While sweeping the 39 constituencies in Tamil Nadu and one in Puducherry, the DMK has also, once again, established its famed hold over the city.
In a sweep election, sometimes the nitty-gritty of who won what and how is glossed over but the performance of the DMK references the shared rich history between the two behemoths – the political party and Chennai. The party was born in Chennai, then Madras, in 1949, and initially, as an outfit determined to promote language and ethnic consciousness among the people, linked itself with the culture and society of the city.
This has inexplicably tied them together for the journey of 75 years, with the city largely electing DMK politicians, be it the Assembly or Parliamentary elections, slipping only a few times. This time around too, as it did in the 2021 Assembly election, the DMK picked up all the seats, the victors leading with substantial margins of over a lakh votes. In two of the three constituencies, the BJP took second place.
It was in Chennai North that the result was first declared in the city. Second generation DMK leader Kalanidhi Veerasamy won with an impressive margin of 3,37,604 votes. He secured 55.13% of the total valid votes polled in the constituency, according to officials at the Queen Mary’s College counting centre. R. Manohar of the AIADMK coasted up to second place with 1,57,281 votes and the BJP’s Paul Kanagaraj heaved himself up to third with 1,12,395 votes.
In Chennai Central, incumbent MP Dayanidhi Maran of the DMK was declared winner with a margin of 2,44,689 votes. This was 57.52% of the votes. His closest rival was BJP candidate Vinoj P. Selvam, with 1,69,159 votes. Only the two of them retained their deposit. Even Parthasarathy of the DMDK, who came third, failed to secure his deposit.
Counting for the Chennai South constituency was slow after issues cropped up with the electronic voting machines. With the completion of the 22nd round, DMK’s T. Sumathy alias Thamizhachi Thangapandian was leading with 2,25,017 votes, having secured 5,12,976 votes in all. Tamilisai Soundararajan, who contested on a BJP ticket, was stuck in second place with 2,87,959 votes. J. Jayavardhan of the AIADMK trailed both of them throughout in third position, and had 1,70,986 votes.