Seeing double: Tamil Nadu voters face an old problem

Two, sometimes three or four, candidates with the same name or similar sounding names contesting from the same constituency – it happens in every election, this one is no different.

At least nine constituencies in Tamil Nadu feature candidates who could be mistaken for someone else. It is an old tactic that the main parties have to deal with: independents and smaller parties trying to create trouble for them by splitting the vote and engineering their candidates’ downfall.

The AIADMK’s candidate in Kalasapakkam constituency, V Pannerselvam, could be confused with two independents as well as a Republican Sena nominee who are fighting for the same seat. A couple of these candidates even have the same initials.

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In Rajapalayam the DMK’s candidate is S Thangapandian; he faces three independent namesakes.

In Dharmapuri voters will have a tough time figuring out which ‘Subramani’ they want to send to the assembly. There is the DMK’s P Subramani, an independent P Subramani, a T Subramani and a K Subramani (the latter two also independents).

AIADMK voters in Jolarpet will want to ensure they are voting for the right KC Veeramani. Three namesakes – all independents – are hoping to split the incumbent party’s vote. The voters are advised to pay attention to the initials.

No such luck in Singanallur, where the DMK candidate, N Karthik, faces two independents with the same names and initials.

Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi’s (VCK) candidate in Arakkonam, Gowthama Sanna J, is up against CM Gowthaman and A Gowthaman, both independents.

In Pappireddipatti former AIADMK minister P Palaniappan is contesting on an AMMK ticket. His supporters will likely have an easier time; they only have to worry about one independent namesake.

One independent is gunning for the chief minister himself. EK Palaniswami vs A Palaniswamy will make an interesting sideshow in the overall contest.

Scope for Trouble

If the margins in any of the above seats are narrow, it would spell trouble for the big-name candidates.

In the 2016 assembly election, VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan lost to AIADMK candidate M Murugumaran by 86 votes. Independent T Thirumavalvan received 289 votes.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, 15 constituencies in the state saw candidates with same names contest the polls. In Arni, AIADMK candidate V Elumalai had to deal with two independent Elumalais. He lost.