Post elections, all political parties, especially the ones that lost are in an introspective mode. The DMDK of Vijayakanth has already faced one Assembly and one Lok Sabha polls apart from the local body elections and a couple of bye-polls. The party leadership has come to the inevitable conclusion that it has not fared well at the hustings. All it could manage was about ten per cent of votes in all constituencies.

By standing alone, it is inadvertently helping either of the two Dravidian parties. Vijayakanth seems to feel that the DMK would not like his party’s growth as it would affect MKStalin’s political future. The DMDK seems to have therefore decided not to go it alone in the ensuing bye-elections in Thondamuthur, kambum, Ilayankudi and Burgur Assembly constituencies. An alliance with the AIADMK could create a stiff challenge to the DMK, feels Vijayakanth.

No single party in Tamil Nadu can hope to win any election without an alliance. Even MGR had to resort to this.

In the MDMK camp, the middle level party functionaries are yet to recover from the shock of Vaiko’s defeat. The only relief was Ganesamurthy’s victory in Erode. The party has already commenced its preparations for the Assembly polls of 2011. It has aimed at enlisting new members, undertaking district-wise tours, meeting the electorate and holding inner party elections. Vaiko also wants to strengthen the Students’ Wing and the Youth Wing of the party. The recent migration of some ruling party workers to MDMK at Thiruvannamalai has given bright hopes and fresh impetus to the party.

All said and done, Vaiko has strong leadership qualities. He is a good orator, a competent organizer and an efficient administrator. What he lacks is perhaps the political sagacity and shrewdness. Mere courage of conviction and honesty of purpose are not enough in an electoral system of democracy. Some amount of astuteness and craftiness are required.

HR