Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam

Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam
Leader	Vijayakanth
Founded	2005
Headquarters	Koyambedu, Chennai
Ideology	Social Democratic/Populist
Website
http://www.dmdkparty.com
Politics of India Political parties Elections

Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) (Tamil: தேசிய முற்போக்கு திராவிடக் கழகம் meaning National Progressive Dravidian Federation) is a regional political party formed by Tamil film actor Vijayakanth in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu along the lines of the regional Dravidian political parties. He formally announced party formation on September 14, 2005 at Madurai. The party head office is in Koyambedu, Chennai.

DMDK poster in Thanjavur

This party contested in all 234 seats in the state elections in May 2006 with Vijayakanth contesting in Vridhachalam. The party polled almost 3 million votes (about 10% share). All the candidates of the DMDK with the exception of Vijayakanth lost the elections in 2006. In by-elections to Madurai Central assembly constituency DMDK secured around 17000 votes which is 2000 votes less than All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (ADMK). DMDK was also able to secure a large number of seats in Local Body elections. Vijaykanth and his party contested in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls as an independent party in all 39 constituencies in the state, winning no seats. The party won 29 seats in the 2011 assembly election and became the official opposition party with Vijayakanth as the opposition leader.

Electoral performance

Year	General Election	Votes Polled	Seats Won
2006	13th Assembly	2,764,223	1
2009	15th Lok Sabha	3,073,479	0
2011	14th Assembly	2,902,813	29

2009 Lok Sabha Election

Main article: Indian general election in Tamil Nadu, 2009

DMDK contested all 39 seats independently in Tamil Nadu in the 15th Lok Sabha election and lost all of them. The party, however, made strong inroads in the heartland of Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK). The party polled 30.73 lakh votes of the total of 3.02 crore valid votes polled in the state representing roughly a vote share of 10.09%. This is higher than the 8.38% vote share polled by him during the 2006 assembly election. It polled more than one lakh votes in nine constituencies, more than 75,000 in 19 constituencies and more than 50,000 in 35 constituencines including Puduchery.

Though his party did not win any seat, it appears to have made the difference between winning and losing for several candidates by having a vote share larger than the margin of victory. Except S. Austin in Kanyakumari and K. Pandiarajan in Virudhunagar constituency, none of the other candidates had a standing of their own and observers believe the votes polled by him indicate the public support for his candidacy.^[1]

2011 assembly election

DMDK supporters in Kumbakonam during 2011 election

Main article: Tamil Nadu legislative assembly election, 2011

DMDK had remained unaligned and contested all the previous elections independently until 2011 election. In an effort — claimed by the party — to defeat the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, it allied with Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam front in a decision made on February 25, 2011.^[2] It won 29 of the 41 seats contested making it a second largest party in Tamilnadu next only to its ally ADMK pushing DMK to third position. Thus, the party became the official opposition party with Vijayakanh becoming the opposition leader. The large victory also earned recognition and a permanent election symbol from the election commission .^[3]

References

1. ^ "DMDK improves poll showing". The times of India Chennai edition: p. 3. 18 May 2009. 
2. ^ "Vijayakanth's party to join hands with AIADMK to ‘oust DMK'". The Hindu (Chennai, India). http://www.hindu.com/2011/02/25/stories/2011022562130100.htm. Retrieved 2010-02-25. 
3. ^ "தே.மு.தி.க.,வுக்கு தேர்தல் கமிஷன் அங்கீகாரம்: சின்னத்தை இழக்கிறது பா.ம.க.,". Dinamalar. 18 May 2011. http://www.dinamalar.com/News_Detail.asp?Id=242863. Retrieved 18 May 2011. 

External links

• Vijaykanth's interview to rediff.com