Exit polls got it wrong in Tamil Nadu

All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) chief J. Jayalalithaa has proved exit polls wrong, as her party secured a win ahead of its main rival Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) as the Assembly poll results were announced on Thursday.

Interestingly, the state has not returned a sitting government to power in the last 27 years. Except her mentor M.G. Ramachandran, nobody has done that in the last 30 years. She has returned to power for the fourth term since 1991.

Only exit poll C-Voter predicted her win and gave her 139 seats. Jayalalithaa, 68, known as Amma to her followers, has secured a clear majority in the 234-member Assembly. Jayalalithaa secured an easy win from Dr Radhakrishnan Nagar constituency. Even though the DMK gave a good fight, it failed to turn the tide.

Ahead of elections, most pre-poll surveys had predicted her win and felt she was on a strong footing. However, once campaigning picked up, the DMK-led alliance were predicted to do well by exit polls. India Today-Axis — My India predicted a clear victory for Karunanidhi-led DMK with 124-140 seats while giving Amma just 89-101 seats.

A similar prediction was made by Today’s Chanakya, which gave the DMK-Congress alliance 140 seats and Amma 90 seats.

The News Nation survey, gave AIADMK just 95-99 while pegging DMK at 114-118 and others at 23 seats.

However, Jayalalithaa proved everybody wrong and has romped home in style, which is effectively also being seen as the end of the Karunanidhi era in Tamil Nadu politics.

Among other losers are actor Vijayakanth, MDMK leader Vaiko, the rudderless Congress and PMK’s Dr Anbumani Ramdoss.