Team DMK corners lion’s share of reserved seats this time

DMK and its alliance parties have not only performed well in general constituencies, but also in reserved seats across Tamil Nadu. The alliance has cornered a total of 29 out of 46 SC/ST seats this time against 14 in the last assembly.

In contrast, it was the AIADMK that had the lion’s share (32 seats out of 46 reserved seats) in the 2016 assembly, but this time it has to contend with just 17 seats.

Of the 29 reserved seats won by the alliance this time, DMK alone has 22 MLAs against 13 the last time. Similarly, DMK’s alliance partners, VCK, Congress and CPM have 2 MLAs each and CPI has one MLA.

A post-result analysis shows that DMK was able to win reserved seats in the north, central and southern parts of the state while losing Madurantakam in northern districts.

Congress was able to win both the reserved seats in Tiruvallur district –  Sriperumbudur (Selvaperunthagai) and Ponneri (Durai Chandrasekar) – defeating AIADMK candidates. In the last assembly, both the seats were with the AIADMK.

Also read: Tamil Nadu Assembly to see more senior citizens, fewer women

In the western region, DMK won two reserved category seats. While in Rasipuram, DMK candidate Mathiventhan defeated AIADMK minister V Saroja and in Senthamangalam, party candidate K Ponnusamy defeated AIADMK sitting MLA K Manickam. Incidentally, DMK has won this seat after a decade. AIADMK’s loss can be attributed to a party rebel, C Chandrasekaran, who garnered 11,000 votes.

VCK won two reserved (Cheyyur and Kattumannarkoil) and two general seats (Nagapattinam and Thiruporur).

Also read: How Kamal Haasan went down fighting BJP’s Vanathi in Coimbatore

DMK had the advantage of having VCK as well as the Left parties on its side this time, which helped the alliance corner more seats in the reserved category. In the 2016 elections, the party had only Congress on its side while VCK and Left Parties were with the DMDK.

AIADMK was handicapped this time because it had no Dalit or Left party as its alliance partner. This ‘loneliness’ cost the party dearly in reserved constituencies, especially in southern parts of the state where AMMK also played a spoilsport.