#Thread on #TamilNadu politics

2016 was a very close election. #AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa pulled off the magic single-handedly by winning a second straight term, a feat that was last achieved only by her mentor MGR.

This thread will look at how close was the said election.

#AIADMK won 136 seats (including Aravakurichi and Thanjavur where polls were held in November 2016), #DMK bagged 89 seats, #Congress (8) and IUML (one) taking the alliance's strength to 98 in the 234-member #TamilNadu assembly.

It was a close fight between the #AIADMK and #DMK in all regions -- Chennai, North, Central and South -- except in West where the ruling party witnessed a Tsunami in its favour. #AIADMK won 41 of the 49 seats in the Western region which gave another term for #jayalalithaa

The winning margins in 16 constituencies across #TamilNadu were less than 1,000 votes. Of these 16, #AIADMK won 11 seats, and the #DMK (five).

The margins in six constituencies were less than 2,000. #AIADMK won in 3, DMK (two), and its ally IUML (one).

#DMK surged ahead of #AIADMK in #Chennai winning 10 of the total 16 seats at stake.

AIADMK won six seats despite the party government coming under severe criticism for its handling of 2015 floods in Chennai

#jayalalithaa contesting from Dr R K Nagar helped the party immensely

North #TamilNadu comprising of Tiruvallur, Kanchipuram, Vellore, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Tiruvannamalai, and Villupuram.

The seats at stake here were 65

#DMK won 35, leaving #AIADMK behind with 30 seats

Western #TamilNadu comprising of Salem, Namakkal, Erode, Tiruppur, Nilgiris, Coimbatore, and Karur went completely in favour of #AIADMK retaining the bastion tag for the party.

Of the 49 seats in this region, #AIADMK swept by bagging 41 seats, DMK (6), and Congress (2).

Central #TamilNadu comprising of Cuddalore, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Tiruchirapalli, Pudukkottai, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, and Tiruvarur.

Here too, #AIADMK was ahead of the #DMK combine but difference between the two was just eight seats

#AIADMK bagged 27 seats, while #DMK won 19

Southern #TamilNadu comprising of Dindigul, Sivaganga, Madurai, Theni, Ramanathapuram, Virudhunagar, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Kanyakumari districts.

#AIADMK was ahead here too. #DMK did put up a strong fight

#AIADMK won 32 seats, leaving 26 for #DMK alliance (INC: 6&IUML:1)

Current Strength of #TamilNadu elections:

#AIADMK : 124 (Including Speaker)

#DMK: 97

#INC: 7

#IUML: 1

Ind: 1 (T T V Dhinakaran)

Vacant: 4 (DMK: 3, AIADMK: 1)

Total: 234