In the days, the Commission may receive more applications. In October and September, the EC had received more than 20 forms from different parts of the state, sources said.

According to Tamil Nadu, public election department sources during 2016 Assembly polls Tamil Nadu had 23 smaller parties that were registered and acknowledged by the Election Commission. Major parties like AIADMK, DMK and BJP also gave opportunity for 11 parties giving them b-form to the EC stating that the smaller parties will contest in the symbols of registered parties.

“With the entry of actor Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam declaring that it will form a third front, the major parties will have a lot of choice for the May 2021 Assembly polls to forge alliances. And at the same time these smaller parties with their micro-level presence in select seats can change the victory margin of Dravidian candidates,” said a political analyst associated with the DMK.

Certainly, there will be more candidates from smaller parties and independents joining the poll fray. We are analysing the role of smaller and major parties and their impact as this election will be fought for new a kind of leaderships without stalwart Dravidian leaders M Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa.

This election will be an advantage for small parties at the constituency level, but they have to rely on the Dravidian majors to win.