Chennai: An independent survey by a group of students and professors has put AIADMK ahead in the race for power in Tamil Nadu polls but said things could change based on DMK-led combine's next-round of electoral strategy.
The survey, conducted under Dr S Rajanayagam, Director, 'People Studies', Loyola College, covered 3171 respondents in 117 of the 234 constituencies in Tamil Nadu.
Under the present political circumstances, 48.6 per cent of the respondents have said they will vote for AIADMK-led alliance while 41.7 per cent of them have favoured DMK combine, the survey conducted between March 21-29 revealed. As many as 51.1 per cent of them have said AIADMK combine will win majority seats while only 36.7 per cent felt the same about DMK and its allies.
As many as 105 and 70 seats were in favour of AIADMK and DMK, respectively, it said. There will be a tough fight in 59 seats between the two Dravidian arch-rivals. However, there could be a change in voters' attitude on three counts, which includes DMK-led alliance's next-phase of electoral strategy.
Without elaborating, the survey said it has been felt that the DMK-led alliance has been "formed well," adding MDMK's stance prior to voting could change the equations. MDMK, which was virtually shown the door by long-time ally AIADMK at the end of failed seat-sharing negotiations, has decided to boycott polls.
Quoting the study, Rajanayagam said 2G spectrum scam, which has come to haunt DMK with former Telecom Minister A Raja being arrested for his alleged role in it, has remained a non-issue with local problems such as drinking water shortage (12.6 per cent), power crisis (25.2) and price rise (14.2) dominating voters' mood.
"Spectrum issue did not come up as an issue affecting people," he said. So was the case with Sri Lankan Tamils issue, a much-hyped one in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, he added.
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