Why did AIADMK win in Tamil Nadu?
May 19, 2016By retaining her government for the second consecutive term, J Jayalalithaa made history in Tamil Nadu. Despite All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazahagam’s seats share going down, Amma did prove most of the exit polls wrong by bouncing back to power. In the process, TN yet again proved that it hasn’t yet risen above cult politics that many had anticipated to diminish following the emergence of a “significant” third front in the state and multi-cornered […]
Summary of TN, Kerala and Puducherry Elections
May 17, 2016Voters braved rains in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, but the turnout, as per the initial analysis of figures by the Election Commission on Monday night was less than the 2011 assembly elections as well as the 2014 Lok Sabha elections figures in both the states. Voting Percentage The figures received till late Monday night showed over 73% polling in Tamil Nadu and 72% in Kerala. The third poll-bound southern state, Puducherry, though, saw a voter […]
Tamil Nadu (TN) Exit Poll 2016
May 16, 2016Tamil Nadu (TN) Election 2016 Exit Poll Pollsters AIADMK DMK+ PWF BJP Others Elections.in 95 130 5 4 CVoter 139 78 15 2 India Today-Axis 99 132 0 3 News Nation 97 116 14 7 ABP 95 132 1 6 Chanakya 90 149 4 NDTV 103 120 0 11 The Tamil Nadu Assembly elections were held in single phase on 16 May 2016. Most exit polls say […]
Emergence of ‘Third Front’ in Tamil Nadu
May 10, 2016Can the Third Front – the first significant conglomeration of smaller parties against the two major Dravidian forces in Tamil Nadu – cut through their dominance this election? Dalit-Backward centric focus in Tamil Nadu elections Analysts are already referring to the dilution of Dravidian ideology as a reflection of “no wave” elections this time. This means, the collective Dravidian identity is now being overtaken by individual’s caste. Some analysts have even gone to the extent […]
Who will be the next CM of Tamil Nadu?
May 5, 2016In star struck Tamil Nadu, the overlapping line of demarcation between Tollywood and politics has besmirched all for decades. It is not just the Tamil superstars like (late) MG Ramachandran and J.Jayalalithaa but even the “behind the scene” mortals such as script writers C.N. Annadurai and M. Karunanidhi, who donned the mantle of chief ministership in the film-obsessed state since its inception. For a short period of 23 days, even MGR’s widow and former Tamil […]
Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections: Candidates to watch out for
April 27, 2016As it is, politics revolving around personality cults rules the roost in Tamil Nadu. For decades, J.Jayalaithaa and M. Karunanidhi have remained the tallest political figures in the state and not many in contemporary politics could match the type of hero worship and veneration that they commanded. They have remained perfect rivals – each replacing the other as the chief minister every five years since 1991. Karunanidhi of DMK Of the two, Karunanidhi, a five-time […]
Celebrity Candidates in 2016 Assembly Elections
April 12, 2016Roping in celebrities and popular faces from the entertainment industry has become a tested formula for political parties heading for elections, especially in constituencies where they know they have little or no visibility. Popular actors and sports stars add glamour quotient to elections in India and often succeed in getting the poor voter’s mandate on the back of charm offensive. While the core issues of the constituency may get sidelined in the process, this often […]