J Jayalalithaa’s historic win in Tamil Nadu has spelled failure for Vijayakanth’s Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam and other parties that made up the state’s effort towards forming a grand alliance called the People’s Welfare Front. The DMDK chief initially had politicians and analysts guessing by refusing to ally with any major party. He finally chose to stand with the PWF as their chief ministerial candidate in February. However, Vijayakanth came a distant third in Ulundurpet. The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam won the seat, while Vijayakanth came in third and even lost his deposit. He had stood for and won the 2011 polls in Rishvandhiyam.

The PWF, which comprises the DMDK and four parties, did not win any seats. The other parties in the alliance were Vaiko’s Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, Communist Party of India, and Communist Party of India (Marxist). In an election where Jayalalithaa was mired in issues – including her brief jail term in a disproportionate assets case – and the DMK was still recovering from corruption allegations during its last term in power, the PWF had appeared to be a real option for those who did not want to vote for the two major Dravidian parties. However, the results have proved otherwise, knocking the PWF parties off the radar for the next few years.

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VCK chief Thol Thirumaavalan came a very close second in the constituency of Kattumannarkoil in eastern Tamil Nadu. EC results showed that he lost by 87 votes to AIADMK's Murugumaran. An independent candidate by the same name, T Thirumavalan, who stood in the same constituency got 289 votes, likely eating into the VCK leader's tally.

The DMDK had allied with the AIADMK ahead of the 2011 polls. Vijayakanth’s party had won 29 seats in that election, pushing the DMK to third place with respect to the number of seats won. Jayalalithaa’s party had won 150 seats in 2011.