New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (EC) last week announced the full schedule of phase-wise and constituency-wise voting for Tamil Nadu in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Polling for the general elections will be held in seven phases starting April 11 and will conclude on May 19. Results will be declared on May 23.

The single phase polling will be held on April 18 (Thursday) along with bypolls in the 18 constituencies of Poonamallee, Perambur, Tiruporur, Sholinghur, Gudiyatham, Ambur, Hosur, Pappireddipapatti, Harur, Nilakkottai, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, Manamadurai, Andipatti, Periyakulam,, Paramakudi and Vilathikulam.

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The by-poll is also a litmus test the AIADMK government which needs to attain a sizeable number to retain its majority in the 234-member House.

Currently, AIADMK has 114 members while the DMK (88) and its allies together have 97 members in the assembly with a vacancy of 21 seats of which 18 fell vacant following of rebel ruling party MLAs. In the high-stakes battle, the AIADMK has cobbled an alliance with the BJP, PMK, Puthiya Tamizhagam and AINRC as its members.

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The Congress has decided to contest from 9 of the 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu, and the lone Puducherry seat. The results of Tamil Nadu 2019 will depict whether the absence of two colossal leaders - M. Karunanidhi and J. Jayalalithaa, was a major factor or not.

Highlights of the 2014 Lok Sabha election results for Tamil Nadu

  • Tamil Nadu saw an unprecedented landslide by the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) which bagged 37 seats. It received 44.3% vote share as against 23% it gained in 2009.

  • The BJP got 1 seat and the Pattali Makka Katchi won from 1 constituency.

  • AIADMK emerged as the third largest party in the Parliament.

  • The NDA which won 2 seats accounted 18.5% vote share.

  • The BJP which won the lone seat has doubled its vote share to 5.4% from 2.34%.


Highlights of the 2009 Lok Sabha election results for Tamil Nadu

  • The AIADMK contested the 2009 elections in alliance with PMK, MDMK and left parties.

  • AIADMK got 23% vote share in 2009 general polls bagging 9 seats.

  • Karunanidhi-led DMK won 18 seats scoring 25% of the total votes polled in 2009.

  • BJP’s vote share was 2.34% while the Congress got 15.3%. The Sonia Gandhi-led party had won eight seats.

  • In the 2009 Lok Sabha election, the DMDK did not win in any of 39 seats it contested in Tamil Nadu, but improved its vote share to 10.1%.

  • The Pattali Makkal Katchi did not win a seat scoring 5.7%


 

Highlights of the 2004 Lok Sabha election results for Tamil Nadu

  • The DMK walked out of the NDA, just months before the Lok Sabha polls. An anti-incumbency wave decimated the AIADMK-BJP combine.

  • The DMK-led front -- comprising the Pattali Makkal Katchi, the Congress, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Communist Party of India-Marxist, CPI and the Indian Union Muslim League swept all seats, including Pondicherry, to make it 40 out of 40 with 57.4% vote share.

  • The results were much similar to the 1991 Lok Sabha polls, when the AIADMK-Congress combine won 38 of the 39 seats, riding on a sympathy wave after the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi at Sriperumpudur.

  • DMK bagged 16 seats with 24.6% votes. Congress got 10 seats with 14.4% vote share.

  • PMK got 5 seats and 6.7% of the vote share. MDMK received 4 seats and 5.9% votes. CPM and others clinched 2 seats each, 2.9% and 45.5 % votes respectively.