Review of Tamil Nadu 2021 Elections: Margins, Close Contests, and Poll Predictions

The 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections resulted in a decisive victory for the DMK-led alliance, ending a decade of AIADMK rule. Several DMK candidates won by large margins, such as I. Periyasamy in Athoor with over 135,000 votes, while some constituencies were decided by narrow margins under 1,000 votes, reflecting competitive contests. Pre-election opinion polls and exit polls had predicted a DMK advantage, though actual results showed a smaller margin than some forecasts. The elections marked a significant political transition in the state.