Slender victory margins in '09 make TN parties anxious

With the results in seven Tamil Nadu constituencies being decided by a mere 3 per cent or less difference in vote share in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, the two Dravidian majors – the ruling AIADMK, the opposition DMK – and few other other parties are doing all they can to try and retain their seats.

Of these Theni, Tiruchirapalli and Villupuram constituencies had a less than 1 per cent victory margin, while Kancheepuram had a less than 2 per cent victory margin. In Chennai North and Virudhunagar, the margin of victory was less than 3 per cent.

The DMK has shifted its top leader and party's official spokeperson T K S Elangovan to South Chennai from North Chennai, from where he contested last time.

In Chennai North, Elangovan had defeated D Pandian of the CPI by a mere 2.9 per cent margin.

Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram, who won from Sivanganga after a recount, is not contesting this time. He has fielded his son Karti instead. Karti, who is not known to be a mass leader, will face a tough test as he is up against Suba Durairaj (DMK) and P R Senthilnathan (AIADMK).

In Virudhunagar, Manicka Tagore of the Congress beat MDMK’s Vaiko MDMK by 2.05 per cent.

This time it will be multi-cornered contest in Virudhunagar with AIADMK and DMK fielding D Radhakrishanan and Rathina Velu, respectively.

With the Congress not contesting in Kancheepuram, it will be tough fight between Maragatha Kumaravel (AIADMK) and Selvam from the DMK to win the seat.

In Theni both previous candidates - Rashid and Thanga Tamilselvam - are not contesting this time. The AIADMK fielded R Parthiban while the DMK announced Pon Muthuramalingam.

In Tiruchirapalli,  AIADMK's P Kumar won by a close 0.60 per cent votes against INC's Sarubala R Thondaiman.

Villupuram had the slimmest victory margin of just 0.35 per cent in which Anandan M of the AIADMK overcame K Swamidurai of the VCK by 2797 votes.

Both in Tiruchirapalli and Villupuram, the AIADMK and the DMK have to work hard since actor Vijayakanth's DMDK, a party known to split votes, is also on the fray.