#Thread on #TamilNaduElections2021 - before I begin, trolls pls stay off my timeline, you are very boring. This is only for those interested in ground reports. My many district reporter friends have contributed to this thread, so please thank them in your head. (1/n)
1. @arivalayam sweeping Delta and Chennai (3-4 seats in Chennai may be won by @AIADMKOfficial ). This is their traditional stronghold.
2. @AIADMKOfficial sweeping Kongu belt and northern TN Vanniyar belt. This is due to larger than expected Vanniyar consolidation. (2/n)
3. It is southern TN that will decide this election. Only one seat could be won by #AMMK - Usilampatti. If @AIADMKOfficial manages to win 50% of the seats in southern TN, they will form government. From my discussions with locals, this seems like a possibility. (3/n)
4. In most seats, winning margins will be between 1000 and 5000 votes. That's how close this election is. Women came out to vote in large numbers in west and south - that's advantage @AIADMKOfficial . However DKV did not consolidate as much as expected. AMMK is a factor. (4/n)
5. Expect a star candidate to come 3rd. Expect a leader of a party to lose to a minister.
6. Among minorities Muslims consolidated towards DMK. But Christians did not consolidate. They voted according to local factors/candidates. (5/n)
7. Overall, each seat has been fought hard and wins will be close. But one party will form government with 120+ seats. Depending on performance in south TN, it could be either DMK or AIADMK. There is no sweep. (n/n)
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A short #Thread on #COVID19 and #vaccination. There seem to be misconceptions about the vaccine. Please do share with family and friends who have not yet taken the jab. It is crucial that we all get vaccinated. Why? (1/n)
1. Taking the vaccine does not protect you against contracting Covid. But it performs a very important function. Post vaccination even if you catch Covid, your symptoms will be mild. Death can be avoided. Esp with the 2nd wave being more virulent, it's crucial to vaccinate. (2/n)
2. The numbers of Covid positive patients may look small & it may feel like authorities are panicking but hospital beds are overflowing. This is because the 2nd wave of Covid infections are more severe than the 1st. And remember how fast cases went up in the 1st wave? (3/n)
Okay I did not want to do this, but let me put it out there since many are questioning my "neck and neck" comment. This is my HYPOTHESIS based on observations & conversations on ground. Read this #Thread & give feedback. Pls don't abuse/troll etc. #TamilNaduElections2021 (1/n)
#ThanthiTVOpinionPoll is the only one that shows the macro picture. Projected voteshare margin difference is very slim between both fronts. This is what I meant by neck & neck. There is NO WAVE. Anti incumbency is marginal. Now let's look at caste play. (2/n)
I would request mindless trolls not to get onto my timeline. Welcome genuine feedback from real humans. Happy to be corrected if I am wrong.
Here we go. (1/n)
Sample size is troubling?
5 zones, 20 districts, one AC in each district, 10 locations in each AC and 25 samples in each location. Is that around 5000 samples overall? (I am bad at math, please correct if I am wrong).
A state as complex as TN warrants more sampling. (2/n)
The poll itself was done between Feb 18 and March 15. The majority of the poll seems to have been done before #Sasikala decided to "withdraw" from politics. Much water has flown since then - manifestos, campaign, candidate announcements etc. The poll doesn't capture these. (3/n)
Quick #thread on #CovidVaccine in #Chennai based on experience of taking a number of elderly folks to get vaccinated. If you are planning to take your parents for the jab, don't stress. Here's what to expect. (1/n)
1. Most hospitals are taking walk-ins and registering them online. If cowin.gov.in is giving you a headache, don't worry. You don't need to register online. Just go to a hospital nearby. Some are giving tokens, others are handling on first-come-first-served basis.(2/n)
2. Be prepared to wait at the hospital. Take your parents' original Aadhar card. Hospital staff will do registration (it takes time as the system is probably overburdened). Payment of Rs 250 has to be made for vaccine (free in govt hospitals). (3/n)
A lot of debate around #ArnabGoswamiArrested and whether journalists should stand by him or not. Key debate points: (a) He does not do journalism; (b) FIR has nothing to do with his work; (c) Suicide note named him.
So let me see if I can break this down. #Thread (1)
(a) He does not do journalism: Agreed. @republic largely produces misinformation and opinionated content leaning in favour of the current ruling party at the centre. There is little real reportage and does not tick the boxes of journalistic rigour.
Now onto the next point. (2)
(b) FIR has nothing to do with his work: Technically correct. Case relates to abetment of suicide charges. But let us not forget that the state & police are notorious for using/foisting charges unrelated to the actual "offending" work done. Cases in point are Jagendra Singh (3)
A #thread on #CAA and #NRC . Bear with me coz this is likely to be long. Let's look at the 4 different items on the table here - #CAA, #NRC, #NPR and #Census.
#CAA is an amendment to allow fast tracking of citizenship to 6 persecuted minorities in 3 countries.
#NPR is a register of the residents of the country. This is a list of people who have lived in a place for at least 6 months.
#NRC or #NRIC is created from the #NPR using a process by which you have to show citizenship.
#Census is an enumeration of all people living in the country with various details.
Now the #NRC in Assam was conducted due to a court ruling. In Assam and the North East, there is a problem of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants coming through porous borders. So it was conducted.