DMK rides on little parties for Dalit votes

CHENNAI: Coalition politics is now the order of the day, both nationally and state-wise. In Tamil Nadu, two major coalition groups have already been formed — the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on one side and the DMK-led alliance on the other side — in view of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The DMK-led alliance can either be the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) that fought the 2021 assembly elections victoriously or the newly formed national level alliance, Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).

The picture of NDA is becoming clearer with the principal opposition party of Tamil Nadu, AIADMK part of the alliance. The BJP national leadership has already invited the powerful Vanniyar political party, Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and the Tamil Manila Congress led by former Union Minister GK Vasan, the son of towering Congress leader, late GK Moopanar.

In the DMK-led alliance, there are more political parties including the Congress, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), CPI, CPI-M, IUML, All India Forward Block, MDMK, Manithaneya Makkal Desia Katchi (MMDK), Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi.

Interestingly in the DMK alliance, the political parties like Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and the Left parties have deep inroads in the Dalit hamlets of the state. Being bigger parties, the DMK and the Congress would derive power and energy from the strength of smaller parties like the VCK, MDMK, Left parties and also the Muslim political parties like the Indian Union Muslim League and Manithaneya Makkal Desiya Katchi.

On the other hand in the National Democratic Alliance of Tamil Nadu, BJP has gained the support of the powerful Dravidian political party, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) which has ruled Tamil Nadu several terms.

The BJP national leadership is trying to rope in the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) which is the political arm of the powerful Vanniyar group, that has a major say in many districts of Tamil Nadu.

It is to be noted that PMK was an ally of the BJP in the 2021 assembly elections but in the local body polls, it snapped ties with the saffron camp and contested the polls alone. However in the recent NDA meet in New Delhi, PMK attended the meet and this has boosted the prospects of NDA highly. (IANS)

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