Tamil Nadu Polls: A Decade of Shifting Voter Trends, From AIADMK's 2011 Win to DMK's Comeback

• Tamil Nadu politics sees sharp swings between AIADMK and DMK, driven by anti-incumbency and alliance dynamics.
• 2011: AIADMK, led by J Jayalalithaa, won 150 seats with 38.4% vote share, riding an anti-incumbency wave against DMK.
• 2016: AIADMK defied anti-incumbency, retaining power with 136 seats and 40.88% vote share; DMK secured 98 seats.
• 2021: DMK, led by M K Stalin, made a strong comeback after a decade, winning 133 seats with 37.7% vote share.
• Key trends include alternating power, the importance of strong alliances, narrow vote gaps leading to big victories, and the dominance of the two Dravidian parties.