BJP maintains poor track record in TN

The party was the last one to field a candidate and Karu Nagarajan received only 1,417 votes.

BJP, who had claimed that its cadres are striving hard to gain foothold in the state, failed to get considerable number of votes in the by-poll.

It had decided to abstain from the 2015-by-poll in RK Nagar constituency. Further, when the BJP contested 2016 general Assembly election, it fielded MN Raja, who secured 2,928 votes with 1.63 per cent and ranked fifth. During that time, former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa won the election with huge margin of 97,218 votes with 55.87per cent.

Even though the BJP ranked third during 2011 general Assembly election, its candidate K R Vinayagam received only 1,300 votes with 0.92 per cent against its rival and AIADMK candidate P Vetrivel who received 83,777 with 59.04 per cent.

Similarly, BJP secured fourth place during 2006 general Assembly election, where its candidate KP Prem Ananth recorded 1,858 votes, leaving DMDK — a new party launched by actor-turned politician Vijayakanth — in third place.