Chennai, March 5 Tamil Nadu's principal opposition, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) is unlikely to allocate a Rajya Sabha seat to its ally, the Desiya Dravida Murpokku Kazhagam (DMDK), founded by the late Tamil superstar Vijayakanth.
DMDK General Secretary and Vijayakanth’s widow, Premalatha, had earlier stated that the AIADMK had assured the party of a Rajya Sabha nomination during the 2024 Lok Sabha election alliance negotiations.
In 2024, the DMDK, contesting as part of the AIADMK-led alliance, fielded Vijayakanth’s son, Vijaya Prabhakaran, from the Virudhunagar constituency but he lost by a narrow margin of 4,379 votes to Congress leader and sitting MP Manickam Tagore. The party also contested from Tiruvallur (SC), Central Chennai, Cuddalore, and Thanjavur, but unsuccessfully.
Six Rajya Sabha seats will become vacant in Tamil Nadu in July 2025. The ruling DMK is expected to win four of them, while the AIADMK is in a position to secure two.
However, sources indicate that the AIADMK is unlikely to allocate one of these seats to the DMDK, as several of its senior party leaders are vying for them. Among the contenders is sitting Rajya Sabha member Chandrasekhar, who is likely to be renominated. AIADMK Presidium Chairman A. Thamizhmahan Hussain, a key Muslim face of the party, is also a frontrunner. Additionally, former minister and party spokesperson D. Jayakumar’s son, J. Jayavardhan, is in the race.
Sources within the AIADMK reveal that both Thamizhmahan Hussain and Jayakumar are close confidants of party General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS). If both push for their candidature, the party may opt not to extend Chandrasekhar’s tenure.
Instead of offering a Rajya Sabha seat, the AIADMK is considering accommodating the DMDK by allotting it more Assembly constituencies of its choice in future elections.
A senior DMDK leader told IANS that AIADMK had explicitly promised a Rajya Sabha seat as part of their alliance talks for the 2024 elections. He added that General Secretary Premalatha would make the final decision on how the party responds to the AIADMK’s stance.
In the 2011 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, the DMDK had won 29 out of the 40 seats it contested. This victory made it the main opposition party, pushing the DMK to third place. Vijayakanth then became the Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.
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