For those arguing that opting for None of the above (NOTA) would make little impact on the outcome of the polls, the results in Kinathukadavu constituency in Coimbatore, proved otherwise.
The public who opted for NOTA have inadvertently made the scales tilt in favour of AIADMK in Kinathukadavu. Winner in the segment, AIADMK's A Shanmugam had polled just 1,332 votes more than his nearest rival DMK's Prabhakaran. On the otherhand, the number of people opted for NOTA stood at 3,884 , destroying DMK's prospect of winning the seat.
NOTA has caught the attention of political parties in several other constituencies too as numbers indicate that Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and Naam Tamilar Katchi got lower votes than NOTA in Coimbatore district.
The district has 10 assembly constituencies including Coimbatore South, Coimbatore North, Kinathukadavu, Mettupalayam, Sulur, Singanallur, Thondamuthur, Kinathukadavu, Pollachi and Valparai. Except Valparai and Pollachi, othr segments saw over 3,000 NOTA votes. Over 180 government staff deputed for election duty also opted for NOTA.
In the district, 35,578 voters opted for NOTA, a sign of disenchantment with the canddiates. This number is more than the total votes polled by parties like PMK and Naam Tamilar Katchi which secured 16,147 and 24811 votes, respectively. "I don't think my vote was wasted by opting for Nota. It is an indication that we prefer efficient politicians who deliver and not those who distribute freebies and remain corrupt. We are well aware of our rights and would exercise our franchise. But we hope for a change one day," said a woman voter from RS Puram in Coimbatore city.
In the 2011 election, only 3,061 people from the 10 segments of Coimbatore opted for NOTA.
The public who opted for NOTA have inadvertently made the scales tilt in favour of AIADMK in Kinathukadavu. Winner in the segment, AIADMK's A Shanmugam had polled just 1,332 votes more than his nearest rival DMK's Prabhakaran. On the otherhand, the number of people opted for NOTA stood at 3,884 , destroying DMK's prospect of winning the seat.
NOTA has caught the attention of political parties in several other constituencies too as numbers indicate that Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and Naam Tamilar Katchi got lower votes than NOTA in Coimbatore district.
The district has 10 assembly constituencies including Coimbatore South, Coimbatore North, Kinathukadavu, Mettupalayam, Sulur, Singanallur, Thondamuthur, Kinathukadavu, Pollachi and Valparai. Except Valparai and Pollachi, othr segments saw over 3,000 NOTA votes. Over 180 government staff deputed for election duty also opted for NOTA.
In the district, 35,578 voters opted for NOTA, a sign of disenchantment with the canddiates. This number is more than the total votes polled by parties like PMK and Naam Tamilar Katchi which secured 16,147 and 24811 votes, respectively. "I don't think my vote was wasted by opting for Nota. It is an indication that we prefer efficient politicians who deliver and not those who distribute freebies and remain corrupt. We are well aware of our rights and would exercise our franchise. But we hope for a change one day," said a woman voter from RS Puram in Coimbatore city.
In the 2011 election, only 3,061 people from the 10 segments of Coimbatore opted for NOTA.