CHENNAI: With the final polling percentage of Lok Sabha elections in TN expected to be just above 70%, the state has failed once again to break its own polling percentage created during 1967 Lok Sabha elections (76.56%).
The highest poll percentage in the 1967 elections was significant since it took place in a historical moment when the DMK snatched power from the Congress party. The elections happened in the backdrop of the anti-Hindi agitations of 1965, in which the DMK was at the forefront.
Since then, Dravidian majors have been maintaining bipolar politics in the state without giving room for any national party. The Congress has been on a piggyback ride on either the Dravidian majors.
After 1967, the voter turnout crossed 70% in 1984, 2009, 2014 and 2019. The voter turnout was lowest (below 60%) in 1998 and 1999, when the country faced general elections in quick succession due to unstable coalition governments.
In the current election, the BJP left no stone unturned to gain a strong foothold in Tamil Nadu. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Tamil Nadu around 10 times and did a vociferous campaign, including roadshows, for BJP. A large gamut of union ministers were also on the campaign. Despite this, the voter turnout saw a dip. Further, the provisional polling percentage indicates that 35 constituencies polled lesser votes than in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections while four constituencies - Kallakurichi, Salem, Coimbatore and Vellore polled higher votes than in the previous LS elections.
But, as far as the Assembly elections are concerned, the highest was 78.12% in the 2011 elections, when the DMK faced huge anti-incumbency.