“The AMMK is already threatening to split the AIADMK votes. So if these dissents manage to take away another 5 to 10 per cent votes, the party will face a huge setback in the election,” admitted an AIADMK senior on condition of anonymity.

“Touring Villupuram on Saturday as part of the campaign trail, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami reached out to A Prabhu, the sitting MLA of Kallakkurichi who was denied a ticket this time, also dissident party workers. The poll managers are also speaking to Aranthangi MLA Rathinasabhapathy, who is sulking after being denied the party ticket,” the AIADMK senior said.

According to him, the party leadership should have pacified Perundurai MLA ‘Thoppu’ N Venkatachalam, who was expelled from the AIADMK on Friday, and Senthamangalam MLA Chandrasekhar. Both of them are now fighting as independents targeting the AIADMK candidates. “We are hoping that some dissidents would withdraw their nominations by Monday,” the senior added. Admitting that some of the party MLAs are upset after their sitting seats were ceded to alliance partners or replaced by new candidates, Poonganagar Selvam, north Chennai MGR Mandram functionary opined that it would be better for the party if the leaders reached out to them. “The rebels and dissidents are traditional AIADMK voters, and their emotions should be assuaged,” he added.

Meanwhile, some of the Ministers have started mobilising party workers from the seats in Chennai that were allocated to the allies. With the AIADMK contesting from fewer seats in Chennai, several Anna Thozhir Sangam workers from Chennai have left for Karur to undertake electioneering for Transport Minister MR Vijayabhaskar.