AIADMK banking on a host of factors that may turn in its favour

The AIADMK, which formally announced the termination of its ties with the BJP on Monday, September 25, is banking on a host of factors that, it believes, would turn beneficial to it at the time of the Lok Sabha election, scheduled for April-May 2024. To get today’s top stories from the State in your inbox, subscribe to our Tamil Nadu Today newsletter Several leaders contend that a strong “anti-incumbency” factor is prevailing in Tamil Nadu against both the BJP-led government at the Centre and the DMK government in the State. A couple of leaders of the party, hailing from the Cauvery and western belts, claim the AIADMK is expecting “desertions” from its arch-rival, the DMK. However, a seasoned functionary of the party says that having snapped its relationship with the BJP, the AIADMK has to stitch a “mega alliance”, as indicated by party general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami in Namakkal in November last year. The leader, of course, concedes that if the DMK is able to retain its allies, the AIADMK would have a “huge challenge” to overcome, as it would be left with no party of any base.