DMDK likely to lose recognition as state party

The DMDK floated by actor-turned-politician A. Vijaykant is expected to lose recognition as a "state party" as it polled less than six percent votes in the Tamil Nadu assembly election.

The DMDK was the principal opposition party in the outgoing assembly and Vijaykant was the leader of the opposition.

All DMDK candidates were defeated in the May 16 polls. Vijaykant himself finished third in Ulundurpettai after the AIADMK and DMK. The DMDK secured just 2.4 percent of votes across the state.

In order to get the Election Commission's recognition as a state party, a party must secure a minimum of six percent of all votes polled.

In 2011, the DMDK won 29 seats when it aligned with the AIADMK.

Subsequently, the two fell out and a group of DMDK legislators supported the AIADMK without resigning their seats.

At the fag end of the assembly's life, eight DMDK legislators resigned and the party's strength fell to 20 in the 234-member house.

Meanwhile the PMK which also drew blank in assembly polls fighting on the plank "change and progress" will introspect and study the reasons for its rout.

"We will study the reasons for the defeat. It is well known that money power played a major part in our defeat," K.Dhanaraju, a party MP, told IANS.

He said it is still a wonder as to why votes did not materialise and how the initial leads established by some of the candidates got reversed later.

"We will study the reasons for the defeat. It is well known that money power played a major part in our defeat," Dhanaraju added.

--IANS

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