2021 Assembly poll holds similarities to 2016

The 2021 Assembly election has similarities to the 2016 election, going by an evaluation of the voter turnout information. The conclusion will be drawn from two components — the general turnout determine and the constituencies with a excessive turnout.

As per the provisional determine of the full turnout launched by Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo on Wednesday, the present election’s tally — 72.78% — is marginally decrease than the 2016 determine of 74.24%. After reconciliation of information, the State’s common could go up.

4.3% enhance

In absolute figures, roughly 25 lakh extra folks voted this time than in 2016, a rise of 4.3%. On Tuesday, round 4.58 crore folks exercised their franchise as towards about 4.33 crore in 2016.

As for the variety of constituencies which have exceeded the State’s common, the tally this time is 137 as towards 146 in 2016. Last time, the AIADMK gained 88 such seats and the DMK-led entrance 58.

A perusal of the constituency-wise figures of turnout reveals that Palacode in Dharmapuri district within the western area, from the place Higher Education Minister K.P. Anbalagan is in search of re-election, has registered the very best polling of 87.33%, because it did 5 years in the past with 88.57%.

Kulithalai in Karur district within the central zone, which is straight away subsequent to Palacode in turnout this time, was positioned third in 2016. Now, it recorded 86.15%, towards 88.13% 5 years in the past. Edappadi in Salem district, the place Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami is attempting his luck as soon as once more, completed third now with 85.6%, whereas it got here fifth in 2016 with 86.35%. Pennagaram, which was third the final time with 88.04%, stands eighth with 84.19%. Aided by the ruling AIADMK, PMK president G.K. Mani is in search of to re-enter the Assembly from this seat after a spot of 10 years.

As within the case of those 4 constituencies, many, which had a lot greater turnout than the State’s common final time, have registered an analogous feat this time too. They embrace Viralimalai within the central area (the place Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar is the AIADMK candidate); Tirumangalam (the place Revenue Minister R.B. Udhayakumar is the ruling celebration’s nominee); Tiruchuli (former School Education Minister Thangam Thennarasu is the DMK contestant); and Oddanchatram (R. Sakkarapani is the DMK’s candidate), all three within the south; and Katpadi within the north (the place former PWD Minister Durai Murugan has been fielded by the DMK).

An attention-grabbing side of the 2021 election is that constituencies the place lots of the high-profile candidates belonging to the 2 principal events — the DMK and the AIADMK — have been fielded have registered the next turnout than the State’s common, as occurred up to now. For occasion, Gobichettipalayam within the west, the place School Education Minister K.A. Sengottaiyan is contesting once more, and Thirukkoyilur within the north, the place former Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudi is in search of re-election, registered a turnout of 82.51% and 76.24% respectively.

However, AIADMK veteran S. Semmalai doesn’t see any one-to-one relationship. He wonders why Kolathur, regardless of having a outstanding chief in DMK president M.K. Stalin as one of many candidates, has not registered an exceptionally excessive turnout. “It depends upon regions and the capacity of political parties to mobilise people. A high turnout has nothing to do with the high profile of contestants,” he asserts.

Another function of the 2021 election is that the turnout in a lot of constituencies within the northern and western areas — ranging from Thiruporur in Chengalpattu district, on the southern outskirts of Chennai, to Kumarapalayam in Namakkal district — have exceeded the State’s common. Besides, the central and southern districts account for 28 and 17 constituencies respectively.

TNCC vice-president A. Gopanna cites an intense electoral battle as one of many vital causes for the excessive turnout in lots of northern and western constituencies. As for the general turnout, he says this reminds him of what the State recorded in the course of the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

G. Palanithurai, a veteran tutorial, laments that the expectation of sure sections for money from events primarily determines the turnout, which isn’t a “healthy trend”.

(With inputs from Pon Vasanth B.A.)