Chennai: The presence of DMDK in the southern and western regions, where the BJP too has some base, makes actor Vijayakanth a preferred ally for the saffron party since overlapping votes alone could translate into seats in the Assembly polls.
The BJP which contested alone in the 2011 Assembly elections, secured four to five per cent votes in 13 seats and got between 11 to 26 per cent votes in eight constituencies. In all the 21 seats, Vijayakanth’s DMDK could prove to be a useful ally as it had polled between 7 to 13 per cent votes in these segments going by the 2009 Parliament elections when the actor’s party contested alone.
The BJP had crossed the four per cent mark in Virugambakkam, T Nagar, Mylapore and Velachery in Chennai where the DMDK had polled between 7 to 10 per cent votes in the 2009 Parliament polls when Vijayakanth asserted that he would have alliance “only with God and the people”.
Similarly, in Alandur constituency in Kancheepuram district, the BJP garnered 5.73 per cent votes in 2011 while Vijayakanth’s party has got 9.62 per cent votes in 2009. In Hosur (of Krishnagiri district) where the BJP obtained 11.17 per cent votes on its own, the DMDK too has got 9.37 per cent votes. In Ambur seat in Vellore district too, the BJP had recorded over four per cent votes and the DMDK secured 10.10 per cent.
Political analyst Govi Lenin said, “Both the PMK and DMDK were allies for the BJP in the 2014 Parliament elections. BJP leaders had contacted the PMK for alliance, once or twice. But, they have paid numerous visits to the DMDK office and Vijayakanth’s residence in a bid to convince him to continue in the alliance. No one can deny that BJP is keen to retain Vijayakanth than any other ally”.
He further pointed out that the BJP has gained ground in the western and southern belts of Tamil Nadu and it naturally seeks an ally who could complement its vote-share and boost the victory chances. In the Kongu belt, the BJP has presence in Erode and Coimbatore districts, where the DMDK could add to its strength as the actor’s vote share was between 7 to 13 per cent in the region, Lenin reasoned.
Besides, analysts point out that the national party has secured five per cent votes in Modakurichi and had polled 2 to 3 per cent votes in the remaining seats of the turmeric belt. It has received over five per cent votes in Singanallur in Coimbatore and polled between 2 to 4 per cent votes in the other constituencies of the textile district in the 2011 Assembly polls. In the southern region, the BJP has garnered between four to five per cent votes in Dindigul, Madurai South, Palayamkottai, Nanguneri and Radhapuram constituencies.
