According to political experts, the assembly elections in Tamil Nadu will not only put an end to the debate on who will sit on the throne for the next five years, but also what the shape of the Dravidian politics in the absence of AIADMK’s J Jayalalithaa and DMK’s M Karunanidhi will be. This was the first election fought in years without these stalwarts. Early trends indicate that DMK has an edge over the AIADMK. DMK is currently leading in 136 seats, crossing the half way mark, while AIADMK leads in 97 seats.
Traditionally, Tamil Nadu has changed its government every five years, but chief minister Jayalalithaa broke that cycle in 2016 by coming to power for a second straight term. However, Stalin, who accuses the current government of corruption and non-delivery of basic facilities, fancies his chances this time around. While MK Stalin is leading from Kolathur, his son, Udayanidhi Stalin is leading from Chepauk.
The AIADMK is in alliance with the BJP, while the DMK has formed an alliance with Congress. While these two alliances are the top contenders, adding to the mix is Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam.
