Consolidation of non-Mukkulathor votes a factor A likely consolidation of voters of non-Mukkulathor communities in Kovilpatti Assembly constituency may have helped AIADMK’s Kadambur C. Raju defeat AMMK founder T.T.V. Dhinakaran. The AMMK leader had shifted to Kovilpatti down south hoping to spring a surprise much like he did in Chennai’s Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar constituency in a by-poll in 2017. His supporters back then argued that it would be an easy victory for the party as post-delimitation, the Kovilpatti constituency had a sizeable percentage of voters from the Mukkulathor community to which Mr. Dhinakaran belongs. Some political analysts too had seen this as a shrewd move on the ground that if he won big, in a post-election scenario a weakened AIADMK could look up to him for direction. “Since we (AMMK) have got strong presence everywhere, I have come to Kovilpatti from R.K. Nagar,” Mr. Dhinakaran had reasoned. He toured extensively across Tamil Nadu for electioneering while dedicating only a few days for canvassing in Kovilpatti Assembly segment as he was confident of a good show.