Captains ship sinks in his home town

MADURAI: The Captain’s ship sank in his home town. Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) drew a blank in the local body elections at Madurai, the native of its party founder Vijaykanth.The party candidates bite the dust in the Madurai Corporation, losing in all the 84 wards it contested, even as its alliance partner CPM was routed in the rest of the wards. Of  the nine sitting DMDK Councillors, four were fielded again, but none appears to have impressed the voters.In turn, the embarrassing defeat has surprised the local DMDK functionaries, as the party emerged victorious during the last local body elections in 2006 by winning 10 wards, despite it contested alone.“Election results are the reflection of an intensified campaign carried out by the ruling party, which created an impression among the voters that developmental works in their respective localities can take place only if AIADMK comes out in flying colours in the local body election,” opined a DMDK leader in the district. Freebies announced by the ruling party has made an impact in the results, he added.DMDK contestants in the rural hamlets of Madurai district, where the actor turned politician is believed to have a huge following too were trailing. The party fielded candidates for two municipalities and 20 town municipalities in the district. Hailing from West Masi Street in Madurai, Vijaykanth hit the silver screens with playing lead roll as a sympathiser of the downtrodden and poor people. His movies struck a chord with masses, earning him the title of ‘Purathchi Kalaingar’, who is also praised as ‘Karuppu MGR,’ of late. After launching his own party from the temple city in 2005, he claimed to be an alternative for both Dravidian parties in the State.But, Vijaykanth became part of the mega alliance led by AIADMK for Assembly elections, last May. The party won 29 MLAs, while the Captain became the Leader of Opposition.