TN polls 2016: Vijaykanth, Vaiko, Vasan---Will PWF's three 'V's make any impact?

After Vijaykanth's DMDK, GK Vasan's Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) has joined the People'e Welfare Front (PWF) led by Vaiko, the chief of the MDMK. The alliance now has six constituents and many are considering it is a potential king-maker in Tamil Nadu after the May 16 election. Is it really a threat to the two dominant Dravidian forces: the ruling AIADMK and DMK?
Assembly Polls 2016 Full Coverage

The PWF's co-cordinator Vaiko was so overexcited with the front that he was willing to name it as the Captain's Welfare Front but the Left parties and the VCK, a Dalit outfit, objected to the idea and brought Vaiko back to the ground.

The alliance continues to have its old name though the mercurial Vijaykanth has been projected as the alliance's chief ministerial candidate. The DMDK is also contesting the most number of seats (104) in the Assembly elections, followed by the MDMK (29), TMC (26) and the rest (25 each). [Why TN will remain a barren land for BJP]

If we take the three Vs of this alliance---Vaijaykanth, Vaiko and Vasan---we might get a picture of how this group might do in this election.

Does Vijaykanth still have the appeal?

Speaking about Vijaykanth, the man though commands a solid vote-share which pulls even big parties towards him, experts now raise questions over his original appeal. His party also saw a division over the question of joining the PWF and a new float called MDMDK was floated by the dissenters in the DMDK. [Why everybody wants to have alliance with Vijaykanth]

Vaiko looks a shadow now

Vaiko looks a shadow now with an unclear support base. His oratory skills might still attract some people but how much does that participation really translate into votes is the question that matters.

Has Vasan done enough to broaden his base?

The third V in the group-Vasan---a former Union minister who left the Congress in 2014 and revived his late father GK Moopanar's TMC and although he has been able to retain some of the support that his father enjoyed, but not many are confident about the ability of this man to influence the polls.

Vasan also seemed less interested in broadening his party's base in the one year he got to revive the TMC more and one could also accuse the man of chasing ambitions by wishing to be a part of the ruling AIADMK's front. It was only after Jayalalithaa insisted Vasan's party to contest the polls under the AIADMK's symbol that he moved over

PWF rather banks on VCK and Left vote banks

The three Vs may apparently look as the front's main vote-catchers but actually they may not. It will rather be banking more on the caste appeal of the VCK and the traditional Left vote-bank. What this alliance could do the most is split the anti-AIADMK votes unless the electorate make up its mind to show the ruling party the door.