The complete routing of the DMDK-PWF-TMC alliance has come as a major embarrassment for Vijayakanth, a once much-sought after alliance party in the state. Rubbing salt in the wound was his own defeat at Ulundurpettai, finishing third, behind the AIADMK, and the DMK.

While his alliance partners have now started blaming vote-buying politics, and AIADMK-DMK collusion theories for the thorough drubbing, Vijayakanth continues to maintain silence.

Driven by chief ministerial ambitions, he chose to ignore his party men’s opinion to join the DMK, and went on to team up with People’s Welfare Front and the Tamil Manila Congress, because they were ready to project him as their Chief Minister candidate. In fact, the time he took to make his mind up about the alliance didn’t go in his favour (there were constant rumours that Vijayakanth was trying to “strike a deal” with the DMK and the BJP, but Vijayakanth denied them all).

Excessive media hype that projected the DMDK-PWF-TMC alliance as the major threat to the Dravidian parties is partly to be blamed for the misguided over-confidence. Also troubling were the constant exodus of senior leaders and party workers, and the sinking morale of the party workers.

His ambition to become the Chief Minister as soon as possible led to his downfall, a senior DMDK leader said.

Vijayakanth can probably draw solace from the fact that the DMDK is not the only “alternative” party to draw a blank. Except the PMK, almost all the other parties that projected themselves as viable options failed to score a seat. Seeman of Naam Tamizhar Katchi, and VCK’s Thirumavalavan have lost the elections too.