Chennai: Two weeks ago, in Tirupparankundram constituency of Madurai, VK SasikalaThe confidant of former Tamil Nadu chief minister late J Jayalalitha hinted at a clear mission for the April 23 assembly elections: wooing the Thevars, a dominant OBC community in the state’s southern and central regions, a block once seen as the backbone of the state. AIADMKsupport of. Through her campaign, Sasikala, who only last month founded a new organisation, All India Puratchi Thalaivar Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, has consistently targeted the AIADMK general secretary. Edappadi K Palaniswami. Sasikala feels that many people in the community are unhappy with the EPS. He has also signed an agreement with PMK founder S Ramadoss. Both have a sense of betrayal – Sasikala was sidelined in the AIADMK after Jayalalithaa’s death, while Ramadoss has lost control of the PMK to his son. Sasikala has fielded 75 candidates, of which about 50% are in Thevar belt. Ramadoss has fielded candidates in 37 constituencies in the Vanniyar belt, including Dharmapuri, where his daughter-in-law Soumya Anbumani is in the fray. Vanniyars are a politically influential and numerically significant group in northern Tamil Nadu, comprising about 25% of the total population. Like Sasikala, the veteran PMK leader is also expected to spoil the game of the AIADMK front as he is targeting his son and PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss, which is part of the opposition alliance. Political observers say that with the state being a multi-cornered contest, even a division of around 1,000 votes could tilt the results. In 2021, the victory margin in 25 constituencies was less than 3,000 votes. Ramdas is giving an emotional statement accusing Anbumani of betraying him. Their candidates have continued their campaign targeting Anbumani more than her political opponents. “Sasikala’s criticism of Palaniswami and his supporters over her removal from party posts will have ramifications. Similarly, you cannot erase four decades of Ramdas and his politics for the community. Together, they will definitely work to spoil the AIADMK-led front in the northern, delta and southern districts,” said political critic Rajan Kurai Krishnan. Apart from Sasikala and Ramadoss, Puthiya Tamilagam founder K Krishnaswamy has fielded candidates in around 60 constituencies in the western and southern regions. He also targeted AIADMK. Meanwhile, Tamiliga Vazhvurimai Katchi functionary T Velmurugan has fielded candidates in several constituencies after walking out from the DMK-led front.