Dayanidhi Maran believes that Tamil Nadu is currently witnessing an anti-Modi wave.
Dayanidhi Maran, former Telecom Minister and DMK member, filed his nomination for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from the Central Chennai constituency on Tuesday.
Mr Maran, the grand-nephew of late DMK chief M Karunanidhi, lost the seat to the ruling AIADMK in 2014. He had earlier represented the constituency in 2004 and 2009.
The Central Chennai constituency is witnessing a four-cornered contest this time, with Mr Maran facing off against Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) leader Sam Paul, Makkal Neethi Maiam (MNM) candidate Kameela Nasser and an SDPI pick. While the PMK is part of the AIADMK alliance, the SDPI has tied up with TTV Dhinakaran's AMMK.
In 2014, the DMK and Congress suffered a rout after fighting the elections separately. They have joined hands for the upcoming electoral battle, with the Congress getting a total of 10 seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Other allies VCK, CPI and CPM are fighting in two seats each, while the MDMK, IJK, IUML and KMDK is contesting in a single seat each.
"Our leader (MK Stalin) has formed a formidable alliance. There is an anti-Modi wave in Tamil Nadu because he has not done anything for the state. He never came here, not even after cyclone Gaja. Only during election time did he make an appearance to lay foundation stones," Mr Maran told NDTV.
Although the AIADMK went solo under late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in 2014, it has joined hands with bitter critics such as the PMK, DMDK and the BJP to consolidate its position this time. Mr Maran, however, didn't think a lot of this alliance. "A week ago, PMK leaders were abusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister E Palaniswamy. Isn't this shameful? We will win all the 40 seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry," he said.
Besides the Lok Sabha elections, the state is also gearing up for bypolls to 18 assembly seats that fell vacant after the disqualification of several rebel AIADMK legislators. As the numbers currently stand, the ruling party is five seats short of a majority.
"We will win the assembly seats too, and MK Stalin will become the Chief Minister soon," said Mr Maran.