The BJP’s overall contested seat share in the urban local bodies polls rose by a marginal 0.7% in 2022 as compared to 2011, driven largely by its victories in Kanniyakumari district alone where the party won in 200 wards, across all segments, of the total 308 wards secured.
Fighting the polls alone after walking out of the AIADMK alliance, the BJP, however, could not open its account in 10 districts. The party won 230 town panchayat wards, 56 municipality wards and 22 corporation wards, including one in Chennai.
Fighting alone in 2011 as well, the party had a seat share of 2.2% in town panchayats, which rose to 3.01% in 2022. In municipalities, its seat share was 1% in 2011 and it has increased marginally to 1.45%. The party’s seat share also increased from 0.5% in 2011 to 1.67% in corporation wards in 2022 [The number of Corporations have increased from 10 in 2011 to 21 in 2022].
Overall, the party’s seat share of 1.76% in 2011, across corporations, municipalities and town panchayats, rose to 2.4% in 2022. In 2011, the party had won 226 of the 12,816 seats across these segments. This increased to 308 out of 12,838 seats.
Tamil Nadu BJP president, K. Annamalai claimed the BJP had emerged the “third largest party” after the DMK and the AIADMK. When asked how he was making that claim when the Congress, an ally of the DMK, had a higher seat share, he said he was saying that based on the places where his party had won and the vote share. “Let the Congress contest alone and get back their deposit at least,” he said.
According to him, the BJP ward members will give their full support to execute the DMK government’s schemes. Mr. Annamalai also said the BJP’s candidates had fought in an eight-pronged electoral field and against an alliance of 13 parties. “These 13 parties do not have any ideology and are indulging only in casteist and religious politics,” he claimed.
With inputs from Pon. Vasanth B.A
