Coimbatore Exit Polls 2024: Tamil Nadu BJP President Annamalai Predicted to Win

The BJP is predicted to open its account in Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu with state party president K Annamalai likely to win the Coimbatore constituency for the saffron party, the News18 Mega Exit Poll said on Saturday.

The News18 Mega Exit Poll has predicted 1-3 seats for the Bharatiya Janata Party in Tamil Nadu. The Congress may get 8-10 seats in the state but it is its INDIA bloc ally Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) that is tipped to do the heavy lifting for the alliance. The INDIA bloc could get between 36-39 seats in Tamil Nadu. The opposition AIAMDK could be in trouble with the News18 Exit Poll predicting 0-2 seats for the party.

Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai reacted to the Lok Sabha exit poll reports and said, “For a state like Tamil Nadu, this is just a beginning, this is the step in the first direction. A state where you said BJP can’t enter, a state till yesterday AIADMK and DMK were saying we are NOTA party…today we have proven that our vote share is above 20%. On June 4, we will prove that we are going to open our seats and we are going to send MPs from Tamil Nadu on behalf of NDA and BJP from different corners of the state…people of Tamil Nadu have said that they will stand with PM Modi…”

Often considered a fringe player in Tamil Nadu’s electoral arena dominated by the Dravidian heavyweights, a resurgent BJP in Tamil Nadu has seen it’s stock rising much beyond its expectations this time, thanks to an assertive and aggressive K Annamalai who is steering the party.

Much of the party’s newfound confidence stems from Annamalai’s “En Mann, En Makkal” (My Land, My People) padayatra, a crucial political journey that made many heads turn towards the Tamil Nadu BJP and the former IPS officer. In fact, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the culmination of the nearly seven month-long yatra.

Political observers feel his vehement criticism of the ruling DMK on many public issues, his assertive and aggressive nature, and cordial approach to the people have endeared him to more people, especially the ones looking at an alternative to the DMK and AIADMK.

Coimbatore, the hub of western Tamil Nadu, was the most keenly watched constituency in the state and K Annamalai went all out in battling against Dravidian giants. He also faces challenge from the Tamil nationalist Naam Tamilar Katchi in the four-way contest with anti-DMK-Congress votes split into three.

Current MP PR Natarajan of the CPM faces anti-incumbency and accusations of disconnect with constituents. The DMK’s decision to contest could consolidate anti-AIADMK and anti-BJP votes. However, BJP and AIADMK both have strong bases.

In his electoral parting shot, Annamalai asserted “Dravidian politics” is not needed anymore in Tamil Nadu and described himself as a son and younger brother of people.

Arguably, the 2024 LS polls is the only one in recent history in which the BJP set the tone for campaign discourse by mounting attacks rather than being in defence by coming up with disclosures on Katchatheevu issue besides vehemently taking up other matters.

Katchatheevu issue led to a slanging match between the saffron party, led by a fierce Annamalai and the DMK-Congress combine.

Check detailed seat predictions based on Exit Poll Results 2024 LIVE . Get minute-by-minute updates on the exit polls from Andhra Pradesh.