'Two leaves' cast shadow over 'rising sun' in DMK bastion

Chennai, May 11 (UNI) Chennai city is considered a DMK citadel. But the ''DMK fortress'' tag does not hold good anymore if the results of the May eight Assembly polls are any indication.

In totality, the ruling AIADMK might have failed to get the sufficient numbers to retain power. But it can draw some consolation from the fact that it managed to demolish the DMK stronghold by breaking even with its traditional rival.

The AIADMK, which had won a mere three seats in 2001 Assembly polls, and its allies Congress and CPI(M) winning one each (for a total of five for its front), broke even with DMK in Chennai this time almost singlehandedly, in sharp contrast to the DMK's sweep in the 2004 Lok Sabha polls, thanks to the political realignment ahead of the elections.

Making a severe dent in its rival bastion, the AIADMK wrested from the DMK the Royapuram, R K Nagar, Park Town, T.Nagar, Triplicane, Mylapore and Saidapet seats, which the party workers attributed to ''the good work done'' by the Jayalalithaa government, including beautification of parks, handling the tsunami disaster, flood situation, provision of relief, relaying of roads and other basic amenities.

''It's good sign that the Party's base is increasing in the city'', an AIADMK leader told UNI.

Even when the DMK lost power to AIADMK in three successive elections in 1977, 1980 and 1984, it had managed to hold its sway in Chennai, winning almost all the seats.

In 1989, when the DMK, returned to power after a gap of 12 years, Chennai remained as the party's fortress. When the party suffered one of its worst defeat in 1991 in the aftermath of Rajiv Gandhi assassination, the DMK secured two of the seats it had won in the entire elections, only from Chennai, with Mr Karunanidhi and Parithi Ilamvazhuthi getting elected from Harbour and Egmore constituencies.

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