These parties have been lured into an alliance with a bonanza - 31 out of 39 constituencies for them to take up the challenge of confronting both the ruling AIADMK and the DMK which fight each other in all the 39 constituencies. BJP would have only eight candidates.

It is more of a contingency plan, reflecting the sense of desperation in BJP leadership over possible losses in key contests in North and East, which have to be made up somehow in its quest for ‘272’ so as to enable enthronement of Mr Narendra Modi as leader of the next government in New Delhi.

The Tamil Nadu BJP had been working feverishly over the last six to eight weeks to build an alliance and has finally been able to coax the DMDK of cine star Vijaykant and the PMK of Dr Ramadoss into an alliance offering them 14 and 8 constituencies respectively, more then they had expected.

Mr Rajnath Singh who announced the alliance, flanked by DMDK and PMK leaders, described it as a ‘historic’ moment for Tamil Nadu and also for the country as seven parties had come into NDA-fold. Vaiko’s MDMK, which was more keen on this alliance, has been allotted seven seats while IJK and KMDK have been given one constituency each.

Mr Singh said he was confident the people of Tamil Nadu would give a fitting lesson to the Congress for misrule, corruption and inflation while his own party would vigorously take up at the Centre issues that are of great concern to the State, such as the rights of fishermen harassed by Sri Lankan navy.

The only missing national major is the Congress, with its central leadership not known to have made any serious efforts to tie up with parties like DMDK or PMK, once DMK declined to revive the 2009 alliance. The prospect of the Congress making any significant gains on its own is discounted.

At one time, these two state parties, with not an insignificant voter base, were only too willing to join any alliance led by the Congress. There was no love lost between the PMK of Dr Ramadoss and DMK leader Mr Karunanidhi, who was, however, eager for DMDK to be part of his alliance. Mr Vijaykant did not respond and finally wangled for the best offer from BJP.

Neither the state nor the central leadership of Congress had shown any great enthusiasm in forging a credible alliance. To all intents and purposes, the Congress simply appears to have given itself to a sense of resignation in Tamil Nadu, as damaging to its future as its inept and authoritarian handling of the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh ruining its electoral prospects in the divided regions.

Congress has no widely-accepted leader in Tamil Nadu and there is no reconciliation between the two factions owing allegiance to Mr P Chidambaram and Mr G K Vasan, both Union Ministers, to make common cause even at the time of elections and would only follow the dictates of central leadership (Ms. Sonia Gandhi) as and when they are forthcoming.

For Mr Chidambaram, with all his political acumen and economic expertise, discretion is the better part of valour this time. No other Union Minister would have nursed his constituency in productive ways as Mr Chidambaram has done in Sivaganga for years, yet he has chosen to abstain and not rush for a battle which would be more challenging than at any time in the past.

He knows how tough the battle is going to be for the incumbent, apart from the direct clash between DMK and AIDMK and the multi-cornered fights. One possibility is that his son Mr C Karti may be fielded from Sivaganga or any other constituency.

At 90, DMK leader Mr Karunanidhi is getting ready to plunge into a whirlwind campaign with a two-fold objective. His main focus would be to arrest any tidal march with a pro-Jayalalithaa wave in the AIADMK-dominant western and central parts of the state and his second aim is to ensure that his estranged son, Mr M K Alagiri, does not spoil the chances for official DMK candidates in the southern districts.

His second son and party Treasurer, Mr M. K. Stalin, chosen as his successor has been trying to build the party in the southern region, hitherto commanded by Mr Alagiri, who has been resisting the proposed succession and fell out with his father. With the parting of ways, and the dread of his elder son retaining his hold on the cadres in that region, Mr Karunanidhi has decided to go there himself and bring about a swing in favour of official candidates.

AIADMK leader and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa remains supremely confident of gaining a larger chunk of votes and winning most of the 39 seats, and has already launched her campaign, hopping from district to district. Her welfare schemes, development programmes and the championing of Tamil causes, more than any other leader of the south, would stand in her favour, according to her partymen.

The DMK electioneering burden is mainly borne by Mr Stalin and the campaign schedule for the father and son has been drawn up in a way that it covers the entire length and breadth of Tamil Nadu. Mr Stalin has commenced his campaign from the southernmost district and Mr Karunanidhi will confine himself mainly to Madurai where Mr Alagiri ahs his home.

Tamil Nadu is set for a mighty confrontation between the two Dravidian majors, which have alternately held power in the State, but this time they fight for effective voice at the Centre and are aspiring for potential role in Government formation, in the event of uncertain poll outcome. Ms. Jayalalithaa has greater stakes in this election given her declared intention to play a major role at the Centre and in the conduct of national affairs.

With a significant number of seats, both the parties can certainly command greater national attention than in the previous elections. However, in view of the multi-cornered contests all over, with the likelihood of a score of AAP candidates also thrown in, Ms. Jayalalithaa may not achieve the maximum that she wanted to record and vote splitting could affect outcomes for candidates of all parties. Tamil Nadu goes to polls on April 24. (IPA Service)