Chennai: The BJP edged out its erstwhile allies — the highly ambitious DMDK and the PMK, and stormed its way to emerge number three. If Tuesday's poll results are any indication, the saffron party has performed better in finishing behind ruling AIADMK and the opposition DMK, albeit losing the poll deposit.
BJP pushed its estranged ally, 'Captain' Vijayakanth's DMDK, who gave a raw deal to it during the Assembly elections, to the fourth position. While the DMK could not contain the winning spree of the ruling AIADMK, the BJP, despite alleging irregularities and money laundering, also faced the heat on the Cauvery issue.
“Our aim is to emerge as a viable alternate to both the AIADMK and the DMK and we have proved it. We are happy that Vijayakanth's party had performed dismally,” opines M. Chakravarthy, BJP senior leader. This former state vice president claims the party was able to convince the voters that the opposition accusation on the Cauvery issue was wrong.
BJP's strongman of Tha-njavur M. S. Ramalingam had polled only 3,806 votes. While the party's candidate for Aravakurichi where AIADMK's former minister S. Senthil Balaji won, S. Prabhu secured 3,162 votes, BJP's R. Srinivasan (Thirupparankundram) obtained 6,930 votes.
“I think we will perform better in the next Asse-m-bly election,” another senior leader claimed. The performance has had its echo in the national capital. BJP national chief Amit Shah tweeted: “I also congratulate our karyakartas of @BJP4Tripura, @BJP4Bengal and @BJP4TamilNadu units for their tremendous efforts in strengthening the BJP.”
