ERODE: The credit for catapulting this district to the top on the list of high voter turnout goes to rural voters who braved the searing heat on Monday to exercise their democratic rights in a big way. The average voter turnout in 10 of the 11 constituencies is 73.66 per cent.

Of 10 constituencies, six - Vellakoil, Kangayam, Modakurichi, Perundurai, Gobichettipalayam and Bhavanisagar - recorded more than the average percentage. And most of these constituencies are rural areas. Only Perundurai among them can be termed industrialised, courtesy, the SIPCOT industrial estate.

Gobichettipalayam Assembly constituency, where former Transport Minister K. A. Sengottaiyan of the AIADMK is taking on K. V. Manimaran of the DMK, tops the list with 76.81 per cent.

Record polling

Only once in the past have the voters of this constituency surpassed this percentage - 77.83 in 1984 for Mr. Sengottaiyan. On three other occasions, more than 70 per cent of the voters had cast their votes.

Closely following Gobichettipalayam is Modakurichi Assembly constituency with 76.01 per cent. Twice in the past the voters of this constituency had bettered this turnout - with 77.75 in 1984, returning S. Balakrishnan of the AIADMK, and 77.42 in 1989 for A. Ganesamurthy of the DMK. Except for the above-mentioned performances, the average voter turnout here has been around 64 per cent. In the past seven Assembly elections, the AIADMK has won on five occasions, and the DMK two. In this election, V.P. Namachivayam of the AIADMK is taking on R. M. Palanisamy of the Congress.

Third comes Kangayam Assembly constituency with 75.96 per cent voter turnout. Monday's performance has been surpassed only once, in 1984 when 76.14 per cent of the voters exercised their franchise. Then K. C. Palanisamy of the AIADMK trounced his rival M. Sivasabapathy of the DMK. Interestingly, in the past seven Assembly elections, the DMK has won only once - in 1996 when a giant anti-AIADMK wave swept the State.

Anthiyur Assembly Constituency settles for the bottom spot polling a modest 69.33 per cent. In this reserved constituency, M. Subramaniam of the AIADMK is taking on S. Gurusamy of the DMK.

Impressive figures

This election's percentage appears to be impressive given the constituency's track record. For, in 1989 only 37.31 per cent of the electorate voted, the lowest in the past seven Assembly elections. However, Monday's percentage is not the highest. The maximum turnout in this constituency was in 1984, where 69.75 per cent of the voters voted. The turnout of voters in Erode, also the district headquarters, is least impressive, given the fact that it has the maximum number of voters in the district. On Monday 70.40 per cent of the three lakh-plus voters had exercised their franchise, putting this constituency in the second last place, just above Anthiyur constituency.

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