CHENNAI: Even while the DMK leadership is confident of facing a mid-term poll to regain power, the party is likely to face a challenge in the Kongu belt as Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palanisami and his supporters in the ministry are focusing on the region with welfare schemes and development projects. Though, DMK working president M.K. Stalin has spent considerable time and energy in the Kongu belt after the rout in the Assembly elections, the district leadership is yet to be activated with full vigour, at a time when the influential Kongu Velalar community has started rallying behind the ruling party, as Palanisami is the first leader from the rich farming and business community to occupy the post.
Stalin has drawn KMDK led by E.R. Easwaran to his fold even before Palanisami won the Chief Minister's chair. Unlike the other regions, former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam faction is yet to gain support in the region, despite getting the backing of a few MLAs and the split factor is unlikely to benefit the opposition DMK in the region. While, ministers K.A. Sengottaiyan, S.P. Velumani and P. Thangamani are focusing attention on Erode, Tiruppur and Coimbatore districts, Palanisami is building a base in Salem district with frequent visits, launching of welfare schemes and development projects.
Even before getting the top post, Palanisami had successfully sidelined his main rival and former minister S. Semmalai in the party. Semmalai who was resenting the rise of Palanisami had walked away with Panneerselvam, leaving the Chief Minister with no challenge in his home turf. Palanisami is unlikely to give a ministerial berth to Semmalai even in the case of a merger of the two AIADMK factions, a key reason for Semmalai's opposition for merger talks.
However, AIADMK functionaries feel Semmalai could not dent the party votes as he could not gain support among the other dominant community Vanniyars since the PMK is still holds sway in the district, securing 3,01,844 votes in the 2016 Assembly elections on its own. The AIADMK has won 10 out of the 11 seats in Salem and Palanisami could emerge stronger if he stays in the CM post for a longer time.
An alliance with the Left parties could add to the DMK votes in Erode, Tiruppur and Coimbatore, but could not tilt the entire outcome since the support for the Left parties had eroded in the region. The BJP had surpassed the Communists in Coimbatore, getting 1,51,781 votes in the 2016 Assembly elections. Besides, the saffron party is gaining strength in Tiruppur district where it polled 62,117 votes.
