Fight till the final count, DMK tells functionaries

CHENNAI: The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has directed its candidates and functionaries to remain on high alert during the vote counting on May 4, asking them not to leave the centres until the entire process is completed, fearing lapses that could result in defeats as a fractured mandate looms large in a four-cornered contest.

Party sources said the high command has issued clear instructions to maintain strict vigilance throughout the counting process, particularly in closely contested constituencies.

The move comes against the backdrop of the 2021 Assembly election, in which the DMK and its allies won 24 constituencies with margins below 5,000 votes, highlighting the importance of close monitoring.

In some seats, the victory margins were extremely narrow. In T Nagar, the DMK won by just 137 votes. Similarly, victories in Tenkasi (370 votes), Katpadi (746 votes), Vriddhachalam (862 votes), and Neyveli (977 votes) were decided by fewer than 1,000 votes.

Several other constituencies—including Thiruporur, Uthiramerur, Jolarpet, Rasipuram, Dharapuram, Anthiyur and Thirumayam—were won by margins of 1,000 to 2,000 votes.

Additionally, the DMK secured constituencies such as Velachery, Cheyyur, Tiruchengodu, Udhagamandalam, Coonoor, Tirupur (South), Ariyalur, Panruti, Mayiladuthurai, Poompuhar, Rajapalayam, and Vasudevanallur with margins ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 votes.

With the 2026 election witnessing a four-cornered contest, DMK leaders believe vote shares could be more fragmented, potentially narrowing victory margins in several constituencies.

In view of this, the party has emphasised round-the-clock vigil at counting centres, underscoring that even small lapses could prove crucial in tightly fought seats.