Though the ruling AIADMK got a clear majority in the just-concluded Assembly elections, an analysis of constituency-wise data has revealed that two AIADMK candidates had forfeited their deposits, polling less than one-sixth of the total votes cast.
In contrast, all the 176 candidates fielded by the DMK managed to retain their deposit, while candidates of the DMDK, including its founder Vijayakant, ended up forfeiting deposits in 103 of the 104 seats it contested.
Vilavancode constituency
In Vilavancode constituency in Kanniyakumari district, where the AIADMK was routed in all seats, party candidate Nanjil Domenic Savio George came fourth behind the Congress, BJP, CPI (M), polling 24,801 votes. Consequently, he lost his deposit.
The seat was retained by S. Vijayadharani, who was elected in 2011, thanks to the alliance with the DMK.
Thalli constituency
Similarly, in Thalli constituency in Krishnagiri district, AIADMK candidate C. Nagesh came third polling 31,415 votes, thereby forfeiting his deposit. While the DMK’s Y. Prakaash won the seat, CPI candidate T. Ramachandran, who represented the constituency during 2011-16, was the runner-up.
The constituencies where candidates of major political parties lost their deposits tell an interesting tale about the elections.
The numbers not only show how the third front was routed but also how closely the elections were fought by the two Dravidian majors.
Candidates of the CPI, CPI(M), VCK, TMC and MDMK, which contested under the leadership of the DMDK, had forfeited their deposits in 23, 25, 22, 26 and 27 seats respectively. Candidates of the alliance managed to retain their deposit only in eight of the 232 constituencies for which elections were held.
The PMK, which contested alone, saw its candidates lose their deposits in 212 constituencies. The BJP-led alliance’s candidates forfeited their deposits in 180 seats.
The electorate also seems to have rejected parties that explicitly pursue caste politics.
The All India Forward Bloc, which led the ‘Singam Kootani’, an alliance of several small Thevar-centric parties, whose candidates contested on the ‘Lion’ symbol, had to forfeit their deposits in 32 seats.
Likewise, the Kongu Makkal Desiya Katchi, a Gounder-centric party, fared poorly in 70 of 72 seats it contested in 13 districts.
The electorate also seems to have rejected parties that explicitly pursue caste politics
