DMDK loses runner-up spot, gets 2 per cent votes

Actor-politician Vijayakant's Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam, launched in 2005 amid fanfare and claims of being an alternative to the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, seems to have failed to make much of an impact at the grassroots level, with the party managing just two per cent of total votes polled in last week's civic polls.

The ruling AIADMK, which romped home in all 10 corporations besides many other local bodies, garnered 75 per cent of the votes, polling over 2.2 crore of the 2.93 crore votes polled.

DMK, which was pushed to third spot in the April 13 assembly polls by DMDK, secured second spot with 12 per cent votes, according to the latest figures of the State Election Commission.

Interestingly, Independents put up a better show than DMDK, netting six per cent of the total votes polled.

The state has a total electorate of over 4.6 crore voters.

Vijayakant had downplayed his party's performance, saying it was normal for voters to prefer the ruling party in the civic polls.

DMK candidates across the state polled over 36.06 lakh votes, while independents got over 17.96 lakh votes.

Vijayakant, opposition leader in the Tamil Nadu assembly, had joined hands with the Left parties, after the former allies of AIADMK failed to enter into a seat-sharing agreement with it ahead of the civic polls.

AIADMK successfully unseated DMK candidates, including Chennai Mayor M Subramaniam, in the keenly fought electoral battle, where the two major Dravidian parties faced the electoral contest sans their allies.

While AIADMK squeezed out the DMDK and Left Front, DMK chief M Karunanidhi made it clear that his party's alliance with Congress was only meant for Lok Sabha and assembly polls, leaving the national party to face the polls by itself.

Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party polled one per cent of the total votes, with Vaiko-led MDMK and Dr S Ramadoss founded Pattali Makkal Katchi securing similar numbers.