Opinion poll gives DMK the lead in western Tamil Nadu

It points to the impact that a multi-cornered contest will have among voters

Updated - October 25, 2016 05:59 pm IST - CHENNAI:

CHENNAI: 24/08/2010: DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, addresses the media after attending a meeting with the party Members of Parliament at Anna Arivalayam in Chennai on Tuesday. Finance Minister K. Anbazhagan, is also looks on. Photo: S_S_Kumar

CHENNAI: 24/08/2010: DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, addresses the media after attending a meeting with the party Members of Parliament at Anna Arivalayam in Chennai on Tuesday. Finance Minister K. Anbazhagan, is also looks on. Photo: S_S_Kumar

An opinion poll conducted by News 7 television channel and Tamil daily Dinamalar gives the DMK the lead in the western districts of the State. The party, according to the poll, is poised to win 33 seats in the region, against 24 by the AIADMK.

The survey results released on Monday point to the impact that a multi-cornered contest will have among voters, As per the poll, the DMDK-led third front, the PMK and the BJP make a significant mark in several constituencies. They even push the AIADMK to the third place in a couple of constituencies. However, the biggest surprise was in Pennagaram. Here, PMK’s chief ministerial candidate Anbumani Ramadoss is shown to be in the third spot. It may be noted that the party expects Dr. Anbumani to win the seat by a big margin.

The DMK’s dominance in the western region, as per the survey, comes as a surprise, given that several opinion polls in March put the AIADMK in the lead. The western districts are normally perceived to be a stronghold of the AIADMK, with the party bagging a majority of the seats in the region in 2011.

The survey, projected as the largest opinion poll in India, had a sample size of over 2 lakh with the results being released region-wise. The districts represent the industrial hub of Tamil Nadu with a large workers population.

Though a six-party alliance, the DMDK-led third front is shown in the survey as one that has not been able to take the lead in any of the 57 constituencies in the region.

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