A pre-poll survey conducted by Puthiya Thalaimurai TV has given the DMK-led alliance a clear advantage over the AIADMK-led combine in the Assembly election.
According to the survey, the DMK-led front is expected to win 151-158 seats, and the AIADMK-led alliance 76-83 seats. DMK president M.K. Stalin held about 10% lead over Edappadi K. Palaniswami among the respondents, who were asked who should be the next Chief Minister. The respondents also indicated that Mr. Stalin’s leadership would take his party to victory.
The survey was conducted by APT survey agency in 200 locations across 20 representative constituencies between February 18 and March 15. (It was taken before the AMMK and the DMDK formed an alliance).
Asked about which party they would vote for in a multi-cornered contest, the respondents gave the DMK-led front a 10% lead.
The positives for the ruling AIADMK were the governance of the Chief Minister and the expected vote share and seats in the western districts.
In Chennai, the AIADMK would lag behind, and there would be a close fight in the central districts. In the northern and southern districts, the DMK held an advantage, the survey said.
The respondents considered the alliance between the BJP and the AIADMK opportunistic and thought that the Congress-led UPA had served Tamil Nadu better than the BJP-led NDA. Surprisingly, a staggering 81% of the respondents supported the farmers’ protest in New Delhi.
