Survey finds Jayalalithaa top the list of CM candidates

Stalin steals a march on his father for CM post.

Jayalalithaa tops the list with 31.56 per cent votes

Though the ruling AIADMK and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa continue to enjoy support among voters, the DMK has come a close second, according to a survey conducted by People Studies, a socio-political research organisation.

Ms. Jayalalithaa tops the list of Chief Ministerial candidates with 31.56 per cent votes and the AIADMK 34.1 per cent, says the report released by S. Rajanayagam, professor of the Visual Communication Department of Loyola College, who is also the director of the People Studies. The DMK got 32.6 per cent in the survey.

One of the surprising outcomes of the study is that DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin is preferred as the party’s Chief Ministerial candidate over his father and five-time Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi. While Mr. Stalin has polled 27.98 per cent votes, Mr. Karunanidhi has scored 21.33 per cent votes. Even though Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam leader Vijayakant and PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss secured fourth and fifth places, their vote share is nowhere near the top three candidates. They have secured 6.24 per cent and 2.27 per cent votes respectively.

Talking to reporters, Mr. Rajanayagam said the survey was conducted between August 13 and 26 in 80 Assembly constituencies in 28 districts. A total of 3,370 persons have shared their views.

Asked about the need for eliciting views on both Mr. Karunanidhi and Mr. Stalin as candidate for Chief Minister, Mr. Rajanayagam explained that the survey team did not approach the voters with the name of probable candidates for Chief Minister. “It was an open question and depending on the voters preference we have listed the names,” he said.

Even though the AIADMK tops the list, cross tabulations show that the DMK enjoys support among some sections. The study has proved that an alternative political arrangement to both the DMK and the AIADMK is remote with 53.4 per cent people favouring the Dravidian majors.

On the one hand the survey says that drinking habit is the major issue ailing Tamil Nadu, on the other distribution of freebies has emerged as the most popular scheme with 89.0 vote share.