Chennai, March 21 (IANS) With opinion polls and poll pundits predicting a huge victory for the DMK, the party leadership is leaving no stone unturned to impress the Muslim voters.
DMK supremo and party’s CM candidate M.K. Stalin has, according to party insiders, categorically told party office bearers and candidates to woo the Muslim vote bank.
The DMK is in alliance with the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and MMK which are contesting 3 and 2 seats respectively from the DMK-led front.
However, with a 5.86 per cent Muslim population in the state, according to the 2011 census, the DMK knows that the Muslim vote bank is crucial. There is a minimum of 2,000 votes in each constituency and the DMK does not want to split this vote bank.
With the AIADMK having a political alliance with the BJP, there will be a less preference for the Muslim community to the AIADMK-led front. However, with parties like Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), having made a political alliance with Asaduddin Owaisis AIMIM, there is a possibility of a certain percentage of the Muslim votes drifting towards the AIMIM and MNM.
DMK leader M. Senthilanthan of Chennai city while speaking to IANS said, “DMK will not allow a split in the Muslim vote bank and we want the Muslim community to vote for the DMK in total.”
He added, “If there is no split in the Muslim vote bank, the DMK front will have easy victories.”
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