TTV Dhinakaran says EPS fell at Sasikala's feet to become TN CM; backs Vijaykanth to win

Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) chief TTV Dhinakaran launched a scathing attack on Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi Palaniswami and accused the latter of allegedly falling at Sasikala's feet in 2017 to become the chief minister. Edappadi Palaniswami became CM of Tamil Nadu in 2017 after former Jayalalithaa aide VK Sasikala was sentenced to prison in the disproportionate assets case. TTV Dhinakaran took a jibe at AIADMK's Edappadi Palaniswami on Wednesday after meeting ally DMDK's chief 'Captain' Vijaykanth. 

Taking a dig at Edappadi Palaniswami's ascension to the CM chair, TTV Dhinakaran claimed that the AIADMK leader crawled and fell at Sasikala's feet to get the position. Further, Dhinakaran slammed Edappadi Palaniswamy for his statement against Vijaykanth and claimed that 'Captain' could win on his own. The AMMK chief attacked AIADMK and DMK leaders for politicizing the death of former CM J Jayalalithaa and claimed that the people of Tamil Nadu will teach them a lesson in the upcoming Assembly elections. 

Earlier, AMMK had finalised its deal with former NDA ally DMDK - headed by 'Captain' Vijaykanth on Sunday for the Tamil Nadu polls. Allotting 60 seats to DMDK, AMMK has already released three lists of candidates for 130 seats and his party's manifesto, promising one job per household. Apart from DMDK, AMMK - led by ex-AIADMK leader VK Sasikala's nephew - TTV Dhinakaran has allied with Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) for the high-stakes Tamil Nadu polls. The 234-seat Tamil Nadu Assembly is set to go to polls on April 6, with results to be declared on May 2.

DMDK walks out of NDA

On 9 March, DMDK announced its decision to part ways with AIADMK after seat-sharing talks remained deadlocked despite three rounds of negotiations. After its exit,  DMDK leader Sudish claimed that the ruling AIADMK would lose deposit in all constituencies, to which AIADMK minister Jayakumar noted that it was bad luck for Vijaykanth's party, and not theirs. At his peak, 'Captain' Vijaykanth of the DMDK  became the leader of Opposition in Tamil Nadu after winning 29 of the 41 seats the party contested in 2011, thereby weakening 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.

AMMK allies with SDPI & AIMIM

On Thursday, the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) confirmed that it has forged an alliance with the Dhinakaran-led AMMK, contesting in 6 constituencies - Alandhur, Ambur, Trichy west, Thiruvarur, Madurai Central and Palayankotai.  This comes just a day after the SDPI was reported to have sealed a seat-sharing pact with the Kamal Haasan-led Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) for the Assembly elections. Dhinakaran has allied with AIMIM which will contest three seats Vaniyambadi, Krishnagiri and Sankarapuram. The AMMK-AIMIM-SDPI combination faces the AIADMK-BJP-PMK alliance, DMK-Congress-MDMK-IUML-CPM alliance, MNM-AAP alliance and other smaller parties.

Tamil Nadu polls

The two warring factions in AIADMK - of Deputy CM O Pannerselvam (OPS) and CM E Palaniswamy (EPS), reconciled after the party named incumbent E Palaniswamy as its CM candidate and O Panneerselvam as the chief of the 11-member steering committee. With Sasikala's 'retirement' from politics, AIADMK remains wary of her nephew who has vowed to 'revive Amma's golden rule'. In a bid to woo voters, CM EPS has announced a slew of social measures like Pongal gift hampers, farm loan waiver, free COVID-19 vaccines, passing school students etc which has been slammed by DMK M K Stalin calling it 'pre-poll appeasement'. Meanwhile, ex-CM Karunanidhi's successor - DMK chief MK Stalin eyes his maiden CM term as DMK cannot afford to lose a third straight Assembly election after sweeping the state in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls with 38 seats.