Tamil Nadu polls 2021: From CM's Edappadi to Stalin's Kolathur; here are 5 key seats

Marking the first state polls since the demise of DMK veteran MK Karunanidhi and AIADMK chief J Jayalalitha, all 234 constituencies of Tamil Nadu is set to go to polls in a single phase on Tuesday, with results to be declared on May 2.. The battle for the CM post is mainly between 'Son of the soil' CM E Palaniswamy (EPS) and 'CM-in-waiting' DMK chief MK Stalin, while Sasikala's nephew AMMK chief TTV Dinakaran, actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi eye to make inroads. While BJP has campaigned heavily, pushing its 'double engine' idea - BJP in Centre, ally in state, it is Stalin's extensive campaign across all 234 constituencies holding 'gram sabhas' aided by Rahul Gandhi's lacklustre campaign, which has tipped the scales heavily in his favour. 

As many as 74,162 personnel from Tamil Nadu Local & Armed Reserve (AR) Police, 8,010 personnel from Tamil Nadu Special Police (TSP) and 23, 200 personnel from the CAPF have been deployed for the elections, according to the Tamil Nadu Police.  34,130 non-police personnel have also been deployed, including Home Guard, Forest Guard, Retired Police and ex-CAPF along with 6,350 police personnel and 12,411 Home Guard from other states. Polling across 234 assembly constituencies in 38 districts of the state will begin at 7 am. A total of 3,998 candidates are in the poll fray. In view of COVID-19, the number of polling stations has been increased to 88,937 where over 6.28 crore people will vote.

Here are the key constituencies:

Edappadi: Incumbent CM E Palaniswami's homeground is an assured win for EPS as he has won Edappadi in Salem district in 1989,1991, 2011 and 2016. In 1998, he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Tiruchengodu district. Hailing from the influential Gounder community, EPS holds major sway in Edappadi winning almost 85% of the votes in the district. WIth his recent decision to ensure a sub-caste reservation for the Vanniyars within the Most Backward Classes (MBC) category to appease ally PMK and the myriad of sops in its manifesto, EPS is bound to trounce 37-year-old local DMK leader T Sampath Kumar.

Bodinayakkanur: Facing a tough re-election, Deputy CM O Pannerselvam (OPS) will face off DMK’s Thanga Tamilselvan in his constituency. Inspite of holding Bodinayakkanur from Theni district since 2011, OPS will face a tough poll battle as he is pitted against Tamilselvan who was once a trusted aide of Jayalalithaa. Moreover, OPS who had rebelled against Sasikala's choice EPS as the CM candidate, is widely being seen as not able to hold his seat. The two-time CM and AIADMK co-convener has since then buried his hatchet with EPS, often jointly campaigning with him across the state.

Kolathur: The DMK scion who has been patiently waiting to win the top post will contest from his incumbent constituency - Kolathur in Chennai. Being the Mayor of Chennai and later on the Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu under his father M Karunanidhi, Stalin will look to trounce AIADMK's Aadhi Rajaram who has already lost to him at Thousand Lights in 2001. Buoyed by his extensive campaign, persistent social media campaign, his catchy poll song 'Stalin thaan vararu' and his vow to solve all issues within 100 days of being voted to power, the DMK supremo is set for a landslide victory in the capital.

Chepauk-Thiruvellikeni: Fielding DMK Youth wing secretary and Stalin's son Udhayanidhi from his grandfather MK Karunanidhi's old constituency, DMK is assured of a victory in this Chennai district. Held by Karunanidhi from 1996- 2011 and J. Anbazhagan since then, Udhayanidhi is assured to triumph AIADMK ally PMK's AVA Kasali. Udhayanidhi has gained infamy throughout his extensive campaign across Tamil Nadu with his controversial remarks such as 'EPS falling on Sasikala's feet', 'Modi's torture killed Sushma Swaraj & Arun Jaitley',  asking if Amit Shah will write his son - Jay Shah's properties in his name while commenting on I-T raids at his sister's house. 

Kovilpatti: The surprise factor in this election - VK Sasikala's nephew and AMMK founder TTV Dhinakaran who has vowed to 'revive Amma's golden rule', faces AIADMK veteran and cabinet member K Raju and CPI(M)'s K Srinivasan. While Dhinakaran had sprung a surprise winning late CM J Jayalalitha's constituency -Radhakrishnan in 2017 as an independent candidate, he will face a tough battle in Kovilpatti. As Dhinakaran had pinned his hopes on wooing AIADMK's votes using his aunt VK Sasikala, he received a rude shock when she suddenly 'quit' politics. By allying with DMDK and AIMIM, Dhinakaran eyes now to dent DMK's minority vote share which has fielded ally CPI's K Srinivasan. Interestingly, while AIADMK has held Kovilpatti since 2006, CP has won this constituency 7 times.

Tamil Nadu poll campaign

Tamil Nadu polls were set apart by the medley of alliances and the freebies offered in the manifestos. The two warring factions in AIADMK - of Deputy CM O Pannerselvam (OPS) and CM E Palaniswamy (EPS), reconciled after the party named incumbent E Palaniswamy as its CM candidate and O Panneerselvam as the chief of the 11-member steering committee, announcing their alliance with BJP and PMK to counter a resurgent DMK and its allies Congress, MDMK, Left parties, IUML. The two major Dravidian parties are also being challenged by MNM-AAP, AMMK-AIMIM-SDPI and other smaller parties.

Ahead of the polls, CM EPS withdrew cases against Jallikattu protestors,  anti-CAA protestors, COVID lockdown violators and Kudankulam nuclear power plant protestors. Apart from taking back so many cases, EPS waived off cooperative farm loans of 12,110 crores availed by 16.43 lakh farmers, issued a 'Pongal gift hamper' for all 2.06 crore ration-card holders, free COVID-19 vaccines, passing school students, offering Rs 1500 monthly allowance to home-makers etc which has been slammed by DMK M K Stalin calling it 'pre-poll appeasement'. In its manifesto, AIADMK has announces several populist sops- free home appliances like washing machine and solar stoves, one govt job per home, dual citizenship for Sri Lankan refugees, urging Centre to repeal CAA etc. Apart from these schemes, AIADMK co-convener and incumbent CM E Palaniswami announced the continuation of Pongal gift hamper, release the Rajiv Gandhi convicts, 12-month maternity leave, mid-day meal scheme extension, 6 cylinders free per year. 

DMK has released its manifesto promising national recognition to Thiruvalluvar's Tirukurral,  75% quota to Tamilians in jobs, 500 Kalaignar Unavagam (canteens), increase women representation from 30 to 40%, slash petrol and diesel rates, ban NEET exams,  waive education loans of students below 30 years of age, punishing Jayalalitha's killers - to name a few. EPS faces ex-CM Karunanidhi's successor - DMK chief MK Stalin who eyes his maiden CM term as DMK cannot afford to lose a third straight Assembly election after sweeping the state in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls with 38 seats.