All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami bagged a record eighth term from the Edappadi Assembly constituency, where the party, which leads the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the state, won 47 seats, holding steady in its southern and western belts – its traditional strongholds.
Palaniswami, 72, won the Edappadi Assembly segment by getting 1,48,933 votes, defeating independent candidate Premkumar K by a margin of 98,110 votes. Actor and politician Vijay Tamilaja Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) supported Premkumar in Edappadi constituency after the Election Commission rejected the nomination of party candidate S Arun Kumar.
In a statement on Monday, Palaniswami said he wholeheartedly accepts the verdict passed by the people. “By following the path of our revolutionary leader (J Jayalalithaa), we will soon recover from this setback,” he said.
Palaniswami expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Ministers Piyush Goyal and JP Nadda – all of whom campaigned for the AIADMK-led NDA alliance. He also thanked Tamil Nadu BJP president Nainar Nagenthran, Pattali Makkal Katchi leader Anbumani Ramadoss, Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam president TTV Dinakaran, AIADMK cadres and voters who supported the AIADMK-led NDA.
“The AIADMK will rise again like a phoenix and return to the path of victory,” Palaniswami said.
“Even after me, no matter how many centuries have passed, the AIADMK will continue to work for the people. I firmly affirm that the AIADMK will forever remain dedicated to serving the people,” he said.
The results reaffirmed the strength of the AIADMK in the Kongu region (western Tamil Nadu). The AIADMK’s focus on rural and semi-urban strongholds in the west and parts of the south served as a safety net.
The AIADMK contested 166 seats, while five NDA alliance partners – Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi (IJK), Puratchi Bharatham Katchi, Pudhiya Needhi katchi, Singa Tamilar Munnetra Kazhagam, Tamil Maanila Bahujan Samaj Party – contested under the AIADMK’s ‘two-card’ symbol, taking the total seats contested by the party to 172.
Anbumani Ramadoss’s party, Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), contested 18 seats, while TTV Dinakaran Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) contested 11 seats.
Election Commission data showed AIADMK winning 47 seats, PMK four seats, and BJP and AMMK one seat each.
AIADMK won in Tirutani, Arcot, Anaikattu, Golarpet, Bargur, Hosur, Palakudu, Chengam, Kelpinathur, Kalasapakkam, Arani, Milam, Sankarapuram, Gangavali, Omalur, Mettur, Edappadi, Sankari, Kangayam, Perundurai, Bhavani, Thondamuthur, Palani, Natham, Karur, Lalgudi, Neyveli, Panruti, Bhuvanagiri, Viralimalai, Sankarankovil, Kanniakumari, Cheyyur, Madurantakam, Pappireddipatti, Harur, Cheyyar, Mailam, Attur, Dharapuram, Anthiyur, Ariyalur, Vedaranyam, Nannilam and Ambasamudram.
