Chennai, Mar 3: Introspection - that is the only word to describe the mood at the war-battered Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) headquarters in Chennai.After suffering an unexpected defeat at the hands of the AIADMK-led combine in the elections to the 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu, DMK headquarters - Anna Arivalayam on arterial Anna Salai in the city - wore a deserted look on Tuesday.
By contrast, there was a moderate gathering on Monday when results started trickling in. In order to demonstrate their solidarity with the party, most of the state ministers as well as senior leaders of DMK made a beeline for chief minister M Karunanidhi's residence at Gopalapuram - the hot-seat of power in Tamil Nadu. But, the DMK supremo did not grant audience to the press corps.
According to Moopanar - who was once tipped to be the prime minister in the outgoing United Front government - three reasons were responsible for the defeat of the DMK-TMC-CPI alliance in the state. Thesefactors were - the people's verdict for a stable government, recent bomb blasts in the textile town of Coimbatore and an overall anti-incumbency factor. The anti-establishment wave was not only evident in Tamil Nadu but also in BJP ruled states, Moopanar said.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
