AIADMK in fix as elected councillors talk to DMK for switching sides

Chennai, March 2 With only two days left for the indirect elections to the Mayor post in corporations, chairperson posts in Municipalities and president posts in town panchayats to be held on March 4, the AIADMK is trying hard to keep its flock together.

The party was in for a shock after nine of the 11 councillors elected for the Sivakasi corporation crossed over and joined the DMK on Tuesday in Chennai in the presence of Revenue minister KKSSR Ramachandran and Industries minister Thangam Thennarasu.

The newly formed Sivakasi corporation has 48 wards of which DMK won 24, AIADMK 11, Congress 6, while BJP, MDMK, and VCK won one seat each in the corporation. Independents won 4 seats.

The switching of sides of AIADMK councillors even after DMK, Congress, MDMK, VCK alliance having an absolute majority has left the AIADMK leadership worried.

A senior leader of the AIADMK who is also a former minister while speaking to said:

"It is time we rework on our strategy. Losing election is not the issue. There is despair among the cadres and middle-level functionaries of the party that there is a leadership crisis in the party. Once it is sorted out things will be smooth and safe."

Sources in the DMK told that several AIADMK councillors and district-level functionaries are approaching the ruling party for switching over. There are indications that more AIADMK office-bearers will leave the party from Salem, Erode, Dindigul, and Coimbatore districts.

Several AIADMK councillors are disillusioned by the fact that all the 21 corporations were lost to DMK-led front in the urban local body elections.

Dr Uma Maheswari, Political analyst and Professor of political science in a private college in Chennai while speaking to said: "The AIADMK is facing a crisis and that is for certain but there is no major erosion in its vote strength. The party has to sort out the leadership issues and they need strong leadership to tackle this. Otherwise, more leaders and party functionaries will go out of the party searching greener pastures."

There are reports of the former interim general secretary of AIADMK, V.K.Sasikala trying her hand to take control of the party. With the exit of 9 AIADMK councillors to DMK and several district-level functionaries of the party opening a green channel to switch stands, the call for Sasikala to come back to the party fold will grow louder.

Another factor confronting the AIADMK is the growth of BJP in several areas where the former was strong. In Chennai corporation, the BJP could muster several votes at the expense of the AIADMK. The party without strong leadership will lose its ground in the days to come.