The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : A small swing would have altered the fortunes of many

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 18, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

A small swing would have altered the fortunes of many

S. Dorairaj

Margin between DMK-led alliance and AIADMK-led front was 4.78 per cent

CHENNAI: A winning alliance gloating over garnering a majority of the seats and a losing formation trying to play down its debacle by citing the percentage of votes polled in its favour is not unusual in the State. But, a close look at the outcome of the Assembly elections shows that a small swing would have altered the fortunes of many candidates.

The overall margin between the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led Democratic Progressive Alliance and the Democratic People's Alliance, headed by the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, was 4.78 per cent. In 29 segments, it ranged from 0.01 per cent to 4.27 per cent. In terms of votes, the margin ranged from 14 to 1958, according to the latest data provided by the State Election Department.

Among those who won by a margin of less than 2000 votes, 10 belonged to the AIADMK, nine to the DMK, five to the Congress and two each to the Pattali Makkal Katchi and the Communist Party of India (Marxist). A Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam candidate also fell in this category.

Prominent among the losers in this segment were Centre of Indian Trade Union State secretary A. Soundararajan (CPI-M), who lost by 14 votes with a microscopic 0.01 per cent tilt in Singanallur. His party colleague N. Nanmaran scraped through in Madurai East by 51 votes.

Former Minister K. Pandurangan of the AIADMK retained Anaicut by 53 votes. His colleague P.V. Damodharan lost in Pongalur by the same margin. DMK stalwart and Finance Minister K. Anbazhagan retained the Harbour seat by 410 votes.

28 winners

Twenty-eight candidates won the race by margins ranging from 2,000 to 4,000 votes. Prominent among them are former Ministers C.Ve. Shanmugam (2,208 votes) and Pollachi Jayaraman (2,946) of the AIADMK and DMK deputy general secretary M.K. Stalin (2,468). Twenty-five candidates won with margins ranging from 4000 to 6000 votes, including AIADMK organising secretary K.A. Sengottaiyan (4,019) and Congress leader Peter Alphonse (4,314).

P.H. Paul Manoj Pandian was among the AIADMK candidates who lost by margins ranging from 6,000 to 8,000. Newly appointed DMK Ministers P.T. Palanivel Rajan, Parithi Ellamvazhuthi and Poongothai Aladi Aruna were among the 32 winners.

Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi (8,526 votes), Education Minister K. Ponmudi (9,748) and Tourism Minister N. Suresh Rajan (10,687) are among the 35 successful candidates in the 8000-12,000 slab.

Former Congress Legislature Party leader S.R. Balasubramoniyan lost to MDMK leader M. Kannappan by 9,894 votes.

A total of 38 successful candidates fell in the 12,000-16,000 slab. They included Electricity Minister Arcot N. Veerasamy (12,390 votes), Minister for Cooperation Ko.Si. Mani (14,141), and former AIADMK Ministers O. Paneerselvam (14, 834), D.Jayakumar (13,503) and Anitha Radhakrishnan (13,916).

Former AIADMK Minister A. Millar, who lost by 20,232 votes, fell in the 16,000-20,000 slab. AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa (25,186 votes), Health Minister K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran (20,845) and Law Minister I. Periasamy (26,561) were among the 18 candidates in the 20,000-30, 000 margin category.

In the above 30,000-margin category were nine candidates, including Public Works Minister Durai Murugan (35,147 votes).

DMK candidate in Tambaram S.R. Raja, who won by 48,752 votes, topped the list.

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