COIMBATORE/CHENNAI:
T T V Dhinakaran had been a powerful war room tactician of the
AIADMK for nearly two decades. On Sunday, the party got a taste of what could happen if a boardroom player became a frontline fighter.
The results of the RK Nagar byelection not only stunned the AIADMK leaders, but sowed seeds of uncertainty within the party. Workers who stood by the
EPS-OPS combine, hoping for a revival of fortunes after retrieval of the symbol, were dejected. The defeat of party senior E Madhusudhanan would be seen as a verdict against the alleged ineffectiveness of the ruling combine.
"What Dhinakaran got were negative votes against EPS and OPS. It is an assertion in favour of change in the party and government," said political analyst Ramu Manivannan.
Setting the tone for fresh turmoil, AIADMK MP (Vellore) Senguttuvan switched camp and met Dhinakaran hours after the results. "Not just one MP, more leaders would be meeting Dhinakaran in the coming days," said his supporter Pughazhenthi.
There was much conjecture that the 18 MLAs, who had joined Dhinakaran, in the event of Madhusudhanan's victory. But now, there could be a reverse trend.
Senior leaders in the AIADMK were cautious in giving statements, with none wanting to appease or offend Dhinakaran. "We had sought votes for 'two leaves' but did not ask people not to vote for the 'cooker' symbol," said cooperatives minister Sellur K Raju. He said all factions must reunite for a strong AIADMK.
"RK Nagar is a fortress of the AIADMK. DMK cannot win there," said Lok Sabha deputy speaker M Thambidurai, subtly hinting that Dhinakaran was not an outsider. Stung by the defeat, the camps got into a huddle separately. The rattled EPS-OPS camp broke its silence and issued a statement claiming that the result did not reflect the sentiment of the people.
