Chennai, May 5(BPNS)
The main two left parties of Tamil Nadu, CPM and CPI which were part of the DMK led alliance had to be satisfied with 2 seats each even as each left party contested 6 seats each in the winning electoral alliance.
CPM state secretary K Balakrishnan while speaking to BPNS said, “The party was not able to get seats allocated in regions where we are strong including Kanyakumari and Chennai. Further in seats like Kovilpatti, Dindugal and Thiruparankundram we were pitted against leaders like TTV Dhinakaran and also former ministers and we could not match with their resources. This took us behind.”
With the DMK led front winning the elections, the poor performance of the left parties has been a point of discussion in the political circles of Tamil Nadu.
C M Sivakumar, Journalist and political analyst while speaking to BPNS said, “The left parties are fast loosing their cadre strength and even the two seats the CPM won, they piggy rode on the strength of DMK. If they don’t rework their strategies, it will be difficult for the left parties to survive in Tamil Nadu.”
The CPI has also cut a sorry figure with the party again winning only 2 seats out of the 6 it contested in the DMK front. The party contested in Kongu region, Valparai ,Tiruppur and Bhavanisagar which has high concentration of plantation workers, industrial workers and other labourers and the party has the strength following trade union activities.
CPI state secretary R Mutharasan while speaking to BPNS said, “The DMK had led the front and its functionaries and our alliance partners were in the forefront of our campaign. Unfortunately in the regions where we contested, the support came for AIADMK front and we had to lose.”
The CPI won Thalli and Thiruthuraipoondi seats in the elections while CPM won from Kilvelur and Gandharvakottai.
CPM Politburo member and former Education minister of Kerala, MA Baby while speaking to BPNS said, “CPM has not done that bad in the elections but still we will have to study as to what went wrong in Tamil Nadu for the party.”
