Tamil Nadu Assembly Election 2021: Actor Vijayakanth’s DMDK Walks Out of AIADMK-BJP Alliance

The AIADMK and BJP had announced their pre-poll alliance last week. According to reports, DMDK was "refused to allot the number of seats that were sought" leading them to take the decision to leave the alliance.

New Delhi: Just a month ahead of the crucial Tamil Nadu assembly election, Actor-turned-politician Vijayakanth on Monday announced that his party Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) has quit the AIADMK-BJP alliance over a failure in deciding upon the seat-sharing formula with the ruling AIADMK. The AIADMK and BJP had announced their pre-poll alliance last week.

According to reports, DMDK was “refused to allot the number of seats that were sought” leading them to take the decision to leave the alliance.

While the DMDK was pitching for 23 seats to contest, the AIADMK was not willing to part with more than 15 seats. Three rounds of discussions were held between the DMDK leadership and AIADMK-BJP combine but could not end the impasse. and hence the DMDK has quit the alliance.

“AIADMK has stabbed us in the back. We have quit the alliance and will ensure the defeat of the AIADMK in the April 6 elections. Vijayakanth is our Chief Minister candidate,” said DMDK deputy general secretary and Vijayakanth’s brother-in-law L.K. Sudhish.

The DMDK had performed exceedingly well in the 2011 Assembly elections in alliance with the AIADMK by winning 29 seats. It was working as the main opposition party in Tamil Nadu.

While DMDK had commenced discussions with the AIADMK for 41 seats, it had scaled down its demand to 23 and on Saturday the DMDK leaders had told the AIADMK leadership that they would not settle for anything less than 23 which is at par with the PMK.

Sudhish further said, “The DMDK is strong in 41 constituencies in North and South Tamil Nadu and our cadres can ensure the defeat of AIADMK. The AIADMK co-ordinator K.P. Muniswamy is the “Sleeper Cell” of the PMK in that party and he ensured that we are out of the alliance, let it be so.”

Vijayakanth’s wife Premalatha Vijayakanth, who is the party treasurer, and his son Vijay Prabhakar are also likely to contest the Assembly elections.