Dhinakaran's political move to woo Muslims
Dhinakaran has taken a gamble with the AIMIM and SDPI as both are emerging political parties among the Muslims in Tamil Nadu which will help the party to be in the reckoning in the State politics
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Chennai: Ahead of the April 6 Assembly election in Tamil Nadu, the electoral alliance stitched by TTV Dhinakaran with the Muslim organisations, All India Majlis-e-Itihad Musleemen (AIMIM) and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) is with an eye on the Muslim minority vote bank to stay afloat in Tamil Nadu politics.
The electoral alliance is with an eye on the Muslim minority vote bank to stay afloat in Tamil Nadu politics, said political commentators. The Muslim community, which has the presence of 5.85 per cent according to the 2021 Census, is not an organised vote bank in Tamil Nadu. With the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Manithaneeya Makkal Katchi (MMK) in alliance with DMK, and AIMIM and SDPI with TTV Dhinakaran, the votes stand split. However, Dhinakaran has taken a gamble with the AIMIM and SDPI as both are emerging political parties among the Muslims in Tamil Nadu and has a vibrant cadre base which in the days to come will help the party to be in the reckoning in the Tamil Nadu politics.
P.K. Sreenivasan, journalist and political analyst told IANS, "TTV Dhinakaran has made a good political move and the Muslim community is one which will not betray the trust bestowed upon them, and if the community vote totally to the alliance there are good possibilities of the AMMK alliance getting a fare vote share, if not seats which will put them in the reckoning in the Tamil Nadu politics." The Deseeya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) of actor politician Vijayakanth has also entered into an alliance with the AMMK and the latter has provided 70 seats to the DMDK. This, according to the ground reports is a good political move on the part of Dhinakaran as the DMDK was the opposition party in the Tamil Nadu Assembly in 2011 winning 29 seats.
LK Sudheesh, Deputy General Secretary of the DMDK told IANS, "The alliance with the AMMK will be helpful for both the parties and we will be trying to get a sizable chunk of seats in the ensuing elections. The social and communal equations are correct, and the cadres are highly motivated."
The AMMK leadership is also expecting to get a maximum number of seats and a good vote share to stay afloat in the Tamil Nadu politics. V.Sethuganapathy, Chennai central secretary of the AMMK told IANS, "AMMK has entered into a perfect political alliance and this will lead to a good support of the Muslim community to the AMMK and will help us sail through in this election."
