In a repeat of their performance in the 2019 general election, the DMK and its allies reaffirmed their supremacy this time in Central Tamil Nadu sweeping all seven seats in the region.
Candidates of the alliance comfortably won against the AIADMK and the DMDK candidates in the delta region. Candidates of the BJP alliance and the NTK, who continued to garner about 10%-12% of the votes polled, vied for the third and fourth positions.
The DMK’s young gun, K.N. Arun Nehru, son of Minister K.N. Nehru, made a successful electoral debut in Perambalur, trouncing the AIADMK’s N.D. Chandramohan and IJK founder T.R. Paarivendhar, who was contesting on the BJP symbol and had won in 2019 contesting on the DMK symbol.
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Mr. Arun Nehru defeated Mr. Chandramohan by nearly 3.90 lakh votes.
The DMK’s other new face, S. Murasoli, won in Thanjavur, notwithstanding speculation on dissent in the party over the six-time MP and former Union Minister, S.S. Palanimanickam, being denied the party ticket.
VCK founder Thol. Thirumavalavan, who had won in Chidambaram by just around 3,200 votes in 2019, defeated the AIADMK’s M. Chandrahasan by over one lakh votes this time.
The MDMK reclaimed Tiruchi after two decades, with Durai Vaiko defeating P. Karuppaiah of the AIADMK by 3.13 lakh votes. Sitting Congress MP S. Jothimani defeated the AIADMK’s L. Thangavel in Karur by over 1.60 lakh votes. State Mahalir Congress president R. Sudha had a smooth sailing in Mayiladuthurai, which has come to be seen as a party bastion.
The CPI won the Nagapattinam seat for the eighth time since 1957 with V. Selvaraj defeating G. Surjith Shankar of the AIADMK by a margin of 2.08 lakh votes.
Mr. Nehru, DMK principal secretary and Minister for Municipal Administration, attributed the success to the “achievements” of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.
“It is all due to his work and schemes. We have stood by the farmers and brought in several development projects to the Tiruchi/delta region,” he told The Hindu.
