AIADMK in spot after big setback in rural local body polls

Chennai: The heavy drubbing in the rural local body polls in nine districts of Tamil Nadu has affected the morale of the AIADMK and the party will have to rework its strategy to maintain its position as a major opponent to the DMK in the state.

The Tamil Nadu State Election Commission has announced that DMK has won or is in lead in 138 of the 140 district panchayat union seats with the AIADMK winning just 2 seats. In the panchayat union ward member seats, DMK has won or is leading in 1,009 seats while the AIADMK has only 218 out of the 1,381 seats. The AIADMK cadres in private admit that disunity among the top leadership and the lack of proper strategy has led to the poor show of the party. Party cadres are of the opinion that during the times of MGR and Jayalalithaa, the major plank of the AIADMK was the tough anti-DMK stand taken by the party but during the past five years after the passing away of Jayalalithaa, the AIADMK has lost its plot.