The PMK’s gamble of competing in 10 constituencies in the 2024 Lok Sabha election as part of the National Democratic Alliance has not paid off as it has lost in all seats.
The defeat of the PMK’s star candidate, Sowmiya Anbumani, came as a shock for many of its supporters. She lost to the DMK’s A. Mani by a margin of 21,300 votes. While Ms. Sowmiya, wife of PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss, secured 411367 votes, Mr. Mani polled 432667 and AIADMK’s Dr. R. Asokan polled 293629, securing the third spot.
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In the seats that it contested in, the PMK polled a total of 17,60,418 votes as of 6.45 pm on Tuesday. The party came third in Arakkonam, Arani, Cuddalore, Dindigul, Kancheepuram, Mayiladuthurai, Salem and Villupuram, fourth in Kallakurichi.
Congratulating Mr. Mani, she said that the defeat had shown that the PMK had to do more work in Dharmapuri. “I wanted to work for everyone – those who voted for me and those who haven’t voted for me and ensure development for all. I had plans of doing many things for the people, if I had won. Over 4 lakh voters have voted for me. I will continue to work for them,” she said, adding, “Since I have lost, I feel that we may have to protest to ensure development.”
Once the party sealed the alliance with the BJP, it was expected by some sections that she would be inducted into the Prime Minister’s cabinet upon victory, and the party threw its weight behind her campaign. Despite a three-cornered fight that was reportedly believed to go in favour of the PMK, which has a strong base in Dharmapuri, Ms. Sowmiya was expected to emerge victorious, at least by a slender margin. But, voters had other ideas. Besides Ms. Sowmiya, no other PMK candidate had even an outside chance of a victory.
