In a scathing critique, AMMK leader T T V Dhinakaran squarely blamed AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) for the party’s poor performance in the recent 18th parliamentary polls. Addressing the media on Wednesday, Dhinakaran highlighted a significant decline in AIADMK’s vote share, attributing it directly to Palaniswami’s leadership.
Dhinakaran pointed out that under Palaniswami’s leadership, AIADMK’s vote share plummeted by 13%. He criticized EPS and his close associates, accusing them of systematically dismantling the party’s stronghold. “Palaniswami and his coterie have been destroying the AIADMK. It has been facing defeat since the R K Nagar by-poll in 2017, and the party’s vote bank has reduced by 13%,” Dhinakaran stated.
Disputed Claims of Vote Share Increase
Despite the electoral setbacks, Palaniswami claimed that AIADMK’s vote share had increased by 1% in the latest poll. Dhinakaran, however, dismissed these claims as fabricated. “Palaniswami is cooking up some figures and claiming that the AIADMK vote share increased by 1% this poll. But the fact is that the AIADMK vote share declined drastically in around 20 constituencies,” he asserted.
Dhinakaran highlighted the severe impact on AIADMK candidates, noting that several, including former MP J Jayavardhan in Chennai South, lost their deposits in the polls. He emphasized that even in constituencies traditionally considered AIADMK strongholds, the party’s performance was dismal. Dhinakaran himself secured close to 3 lakh votes, while the AIADMK candidate forfeited their deposit in the same constituency.