Whereas Tamil Nadu is moving towards a quadrangular contest It will be interesting to see in the upcoming assembly elections how tough the contests have been in the state in the past. Analysis of the results of Assembly elections in the state Since 1967, it turns out that there have been occasions where candidates lost by less than 25 votes.
1967
1967 Madras Legislative Assembly The election was historic in many ways. DMK won power for the first time by defeating Congress and CN Annadurai became the Chief Minister. Later the name of the state was changed to Tamil Nadu.
It is noteworthy that in this election, less than 1,000 votes decided the results in 17 assembly constituencies. In Vanur assembly constituency reserved for Scheduled Caste, DMK’s Balakrishnan defeated Congress’s Velayudham by a margin of 70 votes.
1971
The Tamil Nadu Assembly election of 1971 was fought in the backdrop of the 1969 split in the Congress, which led to former Chief Minister K. Kamaraj formed the Congress (O). Both Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of the Congress (R) at the Center and Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi in the state called for early elections.
By then, Karunanidhi had completed two years in power following the death of Annadurai in 1969. The election resulted in the DMK retaining power. However, the difference in 11 assembly constituencies was less than 1,000 votes. In Shankarapuram in Villupuram district, DMK candidate N. Nachiyappan won by a margin of 72 votes against his nearest rival Duraimuthusamy of Congress (O).
1977
The 1977 election was also historic. The ruling DMK was divided, and veteran actor MG Ramachandran (MGR) formed the AIADMK in 1972. This was also the first election after the emergency was lifted. There was a four-cornered contest between DMK, AIADMK, Congress and Janata Party. AIADMK won the election and MGR became the Chief Minister.
A notable feature of this election was that 24 candidates were elected by margins of less than 1,000 votes. At Taramangalam in Salem district, S. Semmalai, who later became a prominent AIADMK leader and health minister, was succeeded by Congress’s R. Lost to Narayanan by a margin of 19 votes. Similarly, in Thirumayam, now in Pudukkottai district, Congress’s N. Sundarraj defeated AIADMK’s P. Ponnambalam by 57 votes.
1980
In the 1980 Lok Sabha elections held after the fall of the Charan Singh-led Janata Party government, the DMK formed an alliance with the Congress, while the AIADMK formed an alliance with the Janata Party. Congress returned to power at the center and Indira Gandhi became Prime Minister.
After this, the Center dismissed the MG Ramachandran government of the state, even though its tenure was still two years left. Assembly elections were held the same year and AIADMK retained power.
In this election also, the victory margin on 24 seats was less than 1000. In Ilayankudi assembly constituency, CPI candidate S. Sivasamy, who was then an AIADMK ally, defeated DMK’s V. Malaikkannan by 56 votes. AIADMK’s R in Sathyamangalam. Rangasamy defeated Congress’ CR Rasappa by 60 votes. In Thiruvonam in Thanjavur district, AIADMK’s Durai Govindarajan lost to Congress’s N Sivagananam by 62 votes.
1984
The year 1984 was politically tumultuous for both India and Tamil Nadu. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinatedAnd his son Rajiv Gandhi, who succeeded him, dissolved the Lok Sabha to seek a new mandate. In Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister MG Ramachandran, who was undergoing treatment first in Chennai and later in the United States, decided to face the voters a year before his term ended. The strong sympathy wave helped the AIADMK-Congress alliance achieve victory.
However, no candidate was elected by a margin of less than 100 votes. The mandate was decisive, with only three candidates winning by margins of less than 1,000 votes.
1989
The 1989 assembly elections were held after the death of MG Ramachandran in 1987, which led to the entry of his wife Janaki Ramachandran and J. Ramachandran into the AIADMK. There was a split between the factions led by Jayalalitha. DMK returned to power after 13 years in a four-cornered contest between the two factions of DMK, Congress and AIADMK.
Dr. M. Karunanidhi along with other ministers, after being elected as DMK Assembly leader, paying homage and laying floral tributes at Anna Samadhi on January 25, 1989. Photo courtesy: The Hindu
At least 14 seats recorded a difference of between 200 and 1,000 votes.
1991
The 1991 assembly elections were held in highly volatile circumstances. The DMK government was earlier dismissed by the Centre, and the campaign was eclipsed by the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in Sriperumbudur. The massive sympathy wave supported the AIADMK-Congress alliance, which won a landslide victory. Jayalalitha became the Chief Minister for the first time.
Given the broad mandate, only one assembly constituency recorded a difference of less than 1,000 votes. DMK President M. Karunanidhi defeated Congress’s K. Won against Suppu by 890 votes. The DMK’s only other winner was Parithi Ilamvazhuthi from Egmore, where the election was canceled and held later.
1996
The 1996 election was shaped by a strong anti-incumbency wave against the AIADMK government amid allegations of widespread corruption. The Congress high command’s decision to forge an alliance with the AIADMK led to a split in the state unit, leading to the formation of the Tamil Maanila Congress under the leadership of GK Moopanar.
The DMK formed a broad alliance with the TMC and the Left parties and won the elections. Karunanidhi became the Chief Minister, while Jayalalitha was defeated in Bargur. Reflecting the decisive mandate, six seats were won by margins of less than 1,000 votes, but not less than 200.
2001
Major political changes were seen in the 2001 elections. The AIADMK formed a broad alliance including the Congress, TMC, PMK and the Left parties, while the DMK formed an alliance with the BJP, which was then in power at the Centre. The AIADMK-led alliance won a comfortable majority. Although Jayalalitha was initially barred from contesting the elections, she took oath as Chief Minister, later returning after being acquitted by O. Left the post for Panneerselvam.
In Nellikuppam, DMK’s E. Pugazhendi defeated TMC’s PRS Venkatesan by just 34 votes. In Egmore, DMK’s Parithi Ilamvazhuthi defeated B., contesting on AIADMK ticket. Defeated John Pandian by 86 votes. A total of nine seats were won by a margin of less than 1,000 votes.
2006
The 2006 election was a close contest. The DMK formed an alliance with the Congress, PMK and the Left parties, while the AIADMK formed an alliance primarily with the MDMK. DMK emerged as the largest party but fell short of majority. Karunanidhi formed the government with external support.
At least 17 candidates were elected with a margin of less than 1,000 votes. In Singanallur, AIADMK’s R. Chinnasamy defeated CPI (M)’s A. Sundararajan was defeated by just 14 votes. In Madurai East, CPI(M)’s N. Nanamaran defeated M. Bominathan of MDMK by 51 votes. Interestingly, in Anicut, Pongalur and Thottiyam constituencies, AIADMK, DMK and Congress candidates won by 53 votes respectively.
2011
The 2011 election was marred by allegations of corruption at the Centre, including in the DMK, and widespread power shortages in the state, leading to anti-incumbency against the DMK. The AIADMK formed a broad alliance that included the DMDK led by actor Vijayakanth and the Left parties. The alliance won a landslide victory, Jayalalitha returned as Chief Minister and Vijayakanth became the leader of the opposition.
The victory margin on eight assembly seats was less than 1,000 votes.
2016
The 2016 election broke a three-decade trend, as a ruling party retained power for the first time since the 1980s. The contest was multi-cornered, involving the AIADMK, the DMK-Congress alliance, the VCK, the Left, the People’s Welfare Front comprising the DMDK and the TMC(M), while the PMK contested the election alone. Jayalalitha decided to field AIADMK candidates in all 234 constituencies and secured consecutive terms.
Sixteen candidates were elected by margins of less than 1,000 votes. In Radhapuram, DMK’s M. Appavu, who later became the Assembly Speaker by winning the seat in the next election, lost to AIADMK’s IS Inabadurai by 49 votes. In Kattumannarkoil, VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan, contesting from the People’s Welfare Front, lost by 87 votes.
2021
The 2021 elections marked a new phase in Tamil Nadu politicsBecause this was the first assembly election after the death of Karunanidhi and Jayalalitha. The DMK-led alliance, which included Congress, Left parties and VCK, took advantage of the anti-incumbency wave against the AIADMK government, which was then led by Edappadi.K. Was doing. Palaniswamy. AIADMK, in alliance with BJP and PMK, was defeated and MK Stalin became the Chief Minister for the first time. In this election, eight candidates were elected by a margin of less than 1,000 votes.
