JOIN USThe Lead: What's at stake in this year's TN election?
In this episode of The Lead, get to know the star personalities of the Tamil Nadu polls, how the alliances stack up and what is at stake for the Dravidian majors— DMK and AIADMK— and the new entrant BJP.
Tamil Nadu is a unique state. It's here that the national powers are reduced to play a smaller and the regional satraps and the Dravidian parties take up the major role. This time in the absence of J Jayalalithaa and M Karunanidhi, what will the election look like? Will V K Sasikala have a role to play? Can Chief Minister Edapadi Palaniswamy manage to hold power? Can Kamal Haasan be the disruptor or is it time for the DMK's sun to rise?
Hi, this is Ahmed Shariff and welcome to the Lead by DH Radio.
Tamil Nadu Assembly has 234 seats which include 44 SC and 2 ST seats. The 2016 election saw 74.24 % voter turnout and the return of the J Jayalalithaa led AIADMK to power but ever since the death of the matriarch the party has seen a tumultuous time. While, on the other side, the DMK has been waiting in the wings to take centre stage. Defined by the politics of language identity, the state is one among those uncoloured by the saffron party.
Ahmed: Today, we are joined by our special correspondent from Chennai, E T B Sivapriyan, to talk about the state and what's happening this year.
Hi, Sivapriyan. Welcome to DH Radio.
E T B Sivapriyan: Hi.
Ahmed: Tamil Nadu is identified by the Dravidian majors— DMK and AIADMK. What about the other parties and alliances? Can you tell us who is whose friend?
E T B Sivapriyan: The DMK has stitched up a big alliance and that alliance has been continuing since 2017. They fought the elections in 2019. The DMK alliance consists of the Congress, the Left parties, the influential Dalit party Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, MDMK of Vaikao, Indian Union Muslim League and Manithaneya Makkal Katchi, another Muslim political party in Tamil Nadu...
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