There were high expectations from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the 2024 elections in Tamil Nadu. Exit polls had indicated that BJP might win a few seats in the state. However, in these elections, BJP was unable to win even a single seat. Despite this outcome, there were some positives for BJP.
BJP’s vote share has doubled compared to 2019. The party managed to push the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) to third or fourth place in several seats. According to the leads shown on the Election Commission of India’s website, it is clear that BJP has succeeded in marking its presence in Tamil Nadu politics. Let’s take a look at the positions of BJP and AIADMK in various constituencies.
Chennai South
In this seat, BJP’s former state president Tamilisai Soundararajan came in second place. The current MP, DMK’s Thamizhachi Thangapandian, was ahead by over 225,945 votes. AIADMK’s J Jayavardhan, son of the party’s organizing secretary D Jayakumar, came in third, trailing Thangapandian by about 344,137 votes.
Coimbatore
Although there were expectations that BJP state president K Annamalai would win this seat, he was behind DMK’s Ganapati Rajkumar by about 118,068 votes. AIADMK candidate Singai G Ramachandran came in third, trailing by over 300,000 votes.
Kanyakumari
While this seat is known for the contest between BJP and Congress, it was unexpected that AIADMK would be pushed to fourth place, behind Seeman’s Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK). NTK generally secures 7-8 percent vote share across the state.
Madurai
Here, BJP’s Professor Ramu Srinivasan came in second. CPI(M)’s Su Venkatesan, the incumbent MP, won again from this seat. The margin between BJP and the third-placed AIADMK candidate was about 16,110 votes.
Tirunelveli Seat
In this constituency, BJP’s Nainar Nagendran lost to Congress’ Robert Bruce. However, AIADMK came in third, with a margin of approximately 247,075 votes between the BJP and the third-placed AIADMK candidate.
Dharmapuri
In Dharmapuri, DMK candidate Mani A won, while TTV Dhinakaran and AC Shanmugam, who contested with BJP’s support, came in second in Theni and Vellore respectively. Here too, AIADMK had to settle for third place.
Chennai Central
In Chennai Central, BJP state secretary Vinoj P Selvam came in second. AIADMK had allocated this seat to its alliance partner, the late actor Vijayakanth’s party Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK).
These results indicate that BJP has strengthened its base in Tamil Nadu. Compared to 2019, BJP’s vote share has increased, showing that the party is making a mark in the state. Although BJP has not succeeded in winning seats yet, it has weakened AIADMK’s hold, impacting its prospects.
Election Strategy and Results
BJP fielded candidates in many constituencies as part of its strategy to strengthen its presence in Tamil Nadu. The party focused on increasing its vote share in the state, which it largely achieved. By pushing AIADMK to third or fourth place in several seats, BJP has positioned itself as a strong opposition party.
Coalition Politics
Coalition politics has always been crucial in Tamil Nadu. BJP, along with its allies, contested the elections. Candidates like PMK’s Soumya Anbumani in Dharmapuri, TTV Dhinakaran in Theni, and AC Shanmugam in Vellore, performed well with BJP’s support. BJP’s Vinoj P Selvam securing second place in Chennai Central demonstrated the party’s growing organizational strength.
Future Prospects
Although the election results were not satisfactory for BJP this time, the increase in vote share and the impact on AIADMK’s position highlight future possibilities for BJP. The party has shown that it can emerge as a strong opposition in Tamil Nadu and could perform better in upcoming elections.
Conclusion
In the 2024 elections in Tamil Nadu, BJP did not win any seats but made a significant impact on AIADMK’s prospects. The party’s vote share increased, and it pushed AIADMK to third or fourth place in several seats. BJP has demonstrated its capability to play a significant role in Tamil Nadu politics and could perform better in future elections. These results show that the party is strengthening its roots in the state, indicating better prospects ahead.
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