1998 Indian general election in Tamil Nadu

The 1998 Indian general election polls in Tamil Nadu were held for 39 seats in the state. New elections were called when Indian National Congress (INC) left the United Front government led by I. K. Gujral, after they refused to drop the regional Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party from the government after the DMK was linked by an investigative panel to Sri Lankan separatists blamed for the killing of Rajiv Gandhi. The result was a landslide victory for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) winning 30 seats, which helped result in Atal Bihari Vajpayee being sworn in as the 16th Prime Minister of India. J. Jayalalithaa and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, broke off from their long alliance with Indian National Congress and formed an alliance with Bharatiya Janata Party, by joining the National Democratic Alliance. This state proved to be very important in determining the prime minister, since the 18 seats of AIADMK proved valuable for BJP to hold power. That was short-lived, since the AIADMK left the alliance in less than a year, and BJP lost the vote of confidence resulting in fresh elections being called.

Election schedule

Poll eventPhaseIIIIIINotification date20 January 199821 January 199828 January 1998Last date for filing nomination27 January 199828 January 19984 February 1998Scrutiny of nomination28 January 199829 January 19985 February 1998Last Date for withdrawal of nomination30 January 199831 January 19987 February 1998Date of poll16 February 199822 February 199828 February 1998Date of counting of votes/Result 7 March 1998No. of constituencies14241

Voting PhasesI (14 seats)II (24 seats)III (1 seat)Chennai North Chennai Central Chennai South Sriperumbudur Chengalpattu Arakkonam Vellore Tiruppattur Vandavasi Dharmapuri Krishnagiri Salem Tiruchengode GobichettipalayamTindivanam Cuddalore Chidambaram Rasipuram Nilgiris Pollachi Palani Dindigul Periyakulam Madurai Karur Tiruchirappalli Perambalur Mayiladuthurai Nagapattinam Thanjavur Pudukkottai Sivaganga Ramanathapuram Sivakasi Tirunelveli Tenkasi Tiruchendur NagercoilCoimbatore

Seat allotments Source: FrontlineOf Polls and Prediction

National Democratic Alliance Source: Indian Express colspan="6" National Democratic Alliance Party Flag Symbol Leader Seats J. Jayalalithaa 22 Dr. Ramdoss 5 K. N. Lakshmanan 5 Vaiko 5 Subramanian Swamy 1 Vazhappady K. Ramamurthy 1 Total39

United Front colspan="6" DMK-led Alliance Party Flag Symbol Leader Seats G. K. Moopanar 20 M. Karunanidhi 17 R. Nallakannu 2 Total39

Congress alliance colspan="6" INC-led Alliance Party Flag Symbol Leader Seats Tindivanam K. Ramamurthy 35 Su. Thirunavukkarasar 3 D. Pandian 1 Total39

List of Candidates ConstituencyNDAUnited FrontINC+ # Name Party Candidate Party Candidate Party Candidate 1 Chennai North R. T. Sabapathy Mohan C. Kuppusami G. K. J. Bharathi 2 Chennai Central D. Jayakumar Murasoli Maran Era. Anbarasu 3 Chennai South Jana Krishnamoorthy T. R. Baalu M. P. Subramaniam 4 Sriperumbudur K. Venugopal T. Nagaratnam K. Jeyakumar 5 Chengalpattu K. Panneerselvam K. Parasuraman T. N. Muruganandam 6 Arakkonam C. Gopal A. M. Velu R. Dhamotharan 7 Vellore N. T. Shanmugam T. A. Md. Saqhe B. Akber Pasha 8 Tiruppattur S. Krishnamoorthy D. Venugopal R. Kannabiran 9 Vandavasi M. Durai L. Balaraman M. Krishnasamy 10 Tindivanam N. Ramachandran G. Venkatraman K. Ramamurthy 11 Cuddalore M. C. Dhamodaran P. R. S. Venkatesan Dr. R Eramadass 12 Chidambaram R. Ezhilmalai V. Ganesan P. Vallalperuman 13 Dharmapuri K. Pary Mohan P. Theertharaman P. K. Pattabiraman 14 Krishnagiri K. P. Munusamy D. R. Rajaram Aga. Krishnamurthy 15 Rasipuram V. Saroja K. Kandasamy K. Thenmozhi 16 Salem K. Ramamurthy R. Devadass K. V. Thangkabalu 17 Tiruchengode K. Palanisamy K. P. Ramalingam P. Palanisamy 18 Nilgiris M. Master Mathan Balasubramaniam R. Prabhu 19 Gobichettipalayam V. K. Chinnasamy N. Ramasamy E. V. K. S. Elangovan 20 Coimbatore C. P. Radhakrishnan K. R. Subbian R. Krishnan 21 Pollachi M. Thiyagarajan Kovai Thangam R. Eswaravelu 22 Palani A. Ganeshamurthi S. K. Kharvendhan K. S. Venugopal 23 Dindigul C. Sreenivasan N. S. V. Chitthan S. Latha 24 Madurai Subramaniyam Swamy A. G. S. Ram Babu D. Pandian 25 Periyakulam Sedapatti Muthaih R. Gandhimathi M. Veeraprakash 26 Karur M. Thambidurai K. Natrayan Shanmugasundaram 27 Tiruchirappalli R. Kumaramangalam L. Adaikalaraj Subbha Somu 28 Perambalur P. Rajarathinam A. Raja P. V. Subramanian 29 Mayiladuthurai P. D. Arul Mozhi K. Krishnamoorthy R. Thirunavukkarasu 30 Nagapattinam Dr. K. Gopal M. Selvarasu M. Thiagarajan 31 Thanjavur L. Ganesan S. S. Palanimanickam Mathiyalagan 32 Pudukkottai Raja Paramasivam P. N. Siva Su. Thirunavukkarasar 33 Sivaganga K. Kalimuthu P. Chidambaram M. Gowrishankaran 34 Ramanathapuram V. Sathyamoorthy S. P. Udaiyappan V. Rajeshwaren 35 Sivakasi Vaiko V. Alagirisamy K. Rajendran 36 Tirunelveli M. R. Janardhanan R. Sarath Kumar G. R. Edmund 37 Tenkasi S. Murugesan M. Arunachalam V. Selvaraj 38 Tiruchendur Ramarajan Dhanushkodi Kumari Ananthan 39 Nagercoil Pon Radhakrishnan N. Dennis P. S. Stanislaus

Opinion poll Polling agencyDate publishedLeadRef.DMK+NDAINCOthersFrontline-Apt Research GroupFebruary 1998 6 0 0 27

Voting and results

AlliancePartyPopular VotePercentageSwingSeats wonSeat ChangeNational Democratic AllianceAll India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam6,628,92825.89%18.05%1818Pattali Makkal Katchi1,548,9766.05%4.02%44Bharatiya Janata Party1,757,6456.86%3.93%33Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam1,602,5046.26%1.76%33Janata Party266,2021.04%0.28%11Tamizhaga Rajiv Congress365,5571.43%1 1Total12,169,81247.53%29.47%3030United FrontDravida Munnetra Kazhagam5,140,26620.08%5.55%512Tamil Maanila Congress5,169,18320.19%6.81%317Communist Party of India628,3602.45%0.12%11Total10,937,80942.72%12.24%930INC+Indian National Congress1,223,1024.78%13.48%0MGR Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam278,3241.09%new party0new partyUnited Communist Party of India10,0180.04%new party0new partyTotal1,511,4445.91%12.35%0Independents265,0291.03%1.97%0Other Parties (10 parties)719,7042.81%2.91%0Total25,603,798100.00%39Valid Votes25,603,79896.94%Invalid Votes806,9043.06%Total Votes26,410,702100.00%Registered Voters/Turnout45,577,78857.95%8.98%

†: Seat change represents seats won in terms of the current alliances, which is considerably different from the last election. ‡: Vote % reflects the percentage of votes the party received compared to the entire electorate in Tamil Nadu that voted in this election. Adjusted (Adj.) Vote %, reflects the % of votes the party received per constituency that they contested. Sources: Election Commission of India

List of Elected MPs Constituency Winner Runner Up Margin % # Name Poll % Candidate Party Votes % Candidate Party Votes %1Madras North46.58%C. KuppusamiDMK401,32247.11R. T. M. Sabapathy MohanMDMK332,22939.0069,0938.112Madras Central49.50%Murasoli MaranDMK300,77451.73D. JayakumarADMK229,04739.3971,72712.343Madras South47.35%T. R. BaaluDMK432,91348.17Jana KrishnamurthiBJP412,89945.9420,0142.234Sriperumbudur (SC)57.23%K. VenugopalADMK326,52846.89T. NagaratnamDMK302,73343.4823,7953.415Chengalpattu60.67%K. PanneerselvamADMK329,23949.10K. ParasuramanDMK306,32345.6822,9163.426Arakkonam67.26%C. GopalADMK359,43151.56A. M. VeluTMC309,94344.4649,4887.107Vellore62.98%N. T. ShanmugamPMK331,03549.12T. A. Mohammed Saqhy DMK304,63045.2026,4053.928Tiruppattur63.99%D. VenugopalDMK322,99047.88S. KrishnamoorthyADMK322,71647.832740.059Vandavasi62.03%M. DuraiPMK327,01050.66L. BalaramanTMC261,93540.5865,07510.0810Tindivanam63.39%G. N. RamachandranMDMK320,14149.36G. VenkatramanDMK288,68844.5131,4534.8511Cuddalore61.17%S. DamodaranADMK309,98548.84P. R. S. VenkatesanTMC282,85644.5627,1294.2812Chidambaram (SC)64.87%Dalit EzhilmalaiPMK305,37245.81C. V. GanesanDMK297,41744.627,9551.1913Dharmapuri54.42%K. Pary Mohan PMK341,91755.04P. Theertharaman TMC242,49039.0399,42716.0114Krishnagiri58.08%K. P. MunusamyADMK315,76250.71D. R. RajaramTMC266,41342.7849,3497.9315Rasipuram (SC)54.74%V. SarojaADMK302,80152.35K. KandasamyTMC248,42442.9554,3779.4016Salem57.70%V. K. RamamurthyIND365,55755.47R. Devadass TMC229,67734.85135,88020.6217Tiruchengode53.54%K. PalaniswamiADMK414,99254.70K. P. RamalingamDMK310,18340.89104,80913.8118Nilgiris55.50%Master MathanBJP322,81846.49S. R. BalasubramaniamTMC262,43337.8060,3858.6919Gobichettipalayam61.43%V. K. ChinnasamyADMK329,75354.73N. Ramasamy DMK215,11135.71114,64219.0220Coimbatore55.28%C. P. RadhakrishnanBJP449,26955.85K. R. Subbian DMK304,59337.86144,67617.9921Pollachi (SC)56.42%M. Thiyagarajan ADMK306,08355.22Kovai ThangamTMC210,68238.0195,40117.2122Palani47.08%A. GaneshamurthiMDMK286,30047.08S. K. KharventhanTMC258,86342.5727,4374.5123Dindigul53.47%Dindigul C. SreenivasanADMK276,10646.55N. S. V. ChitthanTMC260,90743.9815,1992.5724Madurai50.12%Subramanian SwamyJNP266,20240.48A. G. S. Ram BabuTMC245,30537.3020,8973.1825Periyakulam57.18%Sedapatti R. MuthiahADMK319,67253.06R. Gandhimathy DMK249,09241.3470,58011.7226Karur59.84%M. ThambiduraiADMK327,48050.39K. Natrayan TMC283,80743.6743,6736.7227Tiruchirappalli54.97%R. KumaramangalamBJP305,23348.39L. AdaikalarajTMC293,77846.5711,4551.8228Perambalur (SC)64.56%P. Rajarethinam ADMK341,11853.37A. RajaDMK280,68243.9160,4369.4629Mayiladuthurai64.97%K. KrishnamoorthyTMC286,09845.68P. D. Arulmozhi PMK243,64238.9042,4566.7830Nagapattinam (SC)64.75%M. SelvarasuCPI375,58958.77Dr. K. Gopal ADMK244,28638.23131,30320.5431Thanjavur63.71%S. S. PalanimanickamDMK324,34451.81L. GanesanMDMK276,14044.1148,2047.7032Pudukkottai66.81%Paramasivam RajaADMK288,07237.25P. N. Siva DMK257,55233.3030,5203.9533Sivaganga57.45%P. ChidambaramTMC303,85451.15K. KalimuthuADMK244,71341.1959,1419.9634Ramanathapuram56.87%V. SathiamoorthyADMK258,97843.83S. P. Udayappan TMC234,88639.7624,0924.0735Sivakasi64.95%VaikoMDMK387,69450.68V. AlagirisamyCPI252,77133.05134,92317.6336Tirunelveli56.68%R. JanarthananADMK247,82341.44R. SarathkumarDMK240,91940.296,9041.1537Tenkasi (SC)65.29%S. MurugesanADMK270,05341.84M. ArunachalamTMC172,78626.7797,26715.0738Tiruchendur53.95%RamarajanADMK264,29049.34R. Dhanuskodi AthithanTMC217,43540.5946,8558.7539Nagercoil58.32%N. DennisTMC296,61150.00Pon RadhakrishnanBJP267,42645.0829,1854.92

Strike Rate Strike rate is determined by calculating the number of seats won by a party of the number of seats it contested. Alliance/ PartySeats contestedSeats WonStrike Raterowspan="7" NDAAIADMK221881.81%PMK5480%BJP5360%MDMK5360%JNP11100%TRC11100%Total393076.92%rowspan="5" UFTMC(M)20315.00%DMK17529.41%CPI2150.00%Total39923.07%

Post-election Union Council of Ministers from Tamil Nadu Source: The Tribune #NameConstituencyDesignationDepartmentFromToParty1P. R. KumaramangalamTiruchirappalliCabinet MinisterPower19 March199813 October1999Parliamentary Affairs30 January1999Non-Conventional Energy Sources3 February1999Law, Justice and Company Affairs9 April19998 June19992Vazhappady K. RamamurthySalemPetroleum and Natural Gas19 March199813 October19993M. ThambiduraiKarurLaw, Justice and Company Affairs19 March19988 April1999Surface Transport8 April19984R. MuthiahPeriyakulamSurface Transport19 March19988 April19985Dalit EzhilmalaiChidambaram (SC)MoS(I/C)Health and Family Welfare20 March199814 August19996R. K. KumarRajya Sabha(Tamil Nadu)MoSFinance20 March199822 May1998Parliamentary Affairs19 March19987Kadambur R. JanarthananTirunelveliPersonnel, Public Grievances and Pensions20 March19988 April1999Finance22 May1998

1998 Indian general election in Tamil Nadu

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