In an unexpected turn of events, the DMK has forfeited its security deposit in the just-concluded R.K. Nagar polls where independent Dinakaran coasted to victory defeating his nearest rival and AIADMK’s Madhusudanan by a margin of more than 40,000 votes. DMK not only ended up in the third place but also forfeited its deposit, which is considered a ‘worst show’ by political analysts and critics.

DMK failed to take full advantage of the widespread anti-incumbency feeling during last year’s Assembly polls and allowed the then Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK in gaining a simple majority. The same occurred in 2014 as well when the DMK was ‘routed’ in the Lok Sabha polls as BJP rode on the ‘Modi wave’ and got absolute majority. However, the ‘Modi wave’ didn’t work in Tamil Nadu as AIADMK won 37 out of the 39 seats.

For a long time, the Karunanidhi-led DMK had been unable to achieve significant poll victories against Jayalalithaa but it was predicted by analysts that the former chief-minister’s demise last year would make things easy for the DMK which was expected to take advantage of a ‘weakened’ AIADMK (without its star campaigner Jayalalithaa) and a loud-mouthing independent candidate to taste victory in R.K. Nagar.

That that DMK has been relegated to the third place allowing an independent candidate had got the better of both the AIADMK and the DMK is unprecedented in the State’s history. DMK’s cadres expect party’s working president and its chief-ministerial candidate Stalin to lead the party to an ‘uprising’ but it hasn’t occurred yet. It is clear that Stalin is not as effective as Karunanidhi as party president.

Whether he remained in power or not, the now-speechless Karuninidhi would always be in the news with his constant interactions or statements in the media. Karunanidhi always ensured that the regional press got enough ‘material’ about his statements on current local and national issue thus giving the people an image that the DMK was ‘as active as ever’ in expressing its views on people’s issues.

Stalin has failed miserably to do just this in the past one year since Jayalalithaa’s demise.  Media is full of news about Dinakaran: be it his involvement in the case relating to bribe the Election Commission, his stint in Tihar Jail, his release, his announcement ‘expelling’ all other AIADMK leaders, decision to contest from R.K. Nagar as independent after the EC allotted the ‘Two-Leaves’ symbol to AIADMK, etc.

In what was seen as David Vs Goliath, ‘David’ Dinakaran has felled the ‘Goliath’ of two most powerful political parties in the State in the just-concluded by-polls. Stalin is accused by the media of failing to take advantage of a weakened AIADMK and an independent candidate who faced many cases in Courts!