279. Palair

Indian National Congress held the seat; the winning margin narrowed from 41.7% to 8.0%.

Boundaries were redrawn between 1972 and 1978 — the comparison is matched by name and is indicative only.

• Won on a lower shareIts own vote share fell 25.4% — it held because the rest of the vote was more divided.
• New challengerJanata Party (JNP) finished second with 33.7% — it did not contest here in 1972.
• Vote fragmentedThe top two took only 75.5% between them, down from 92.4% — the field split more ways.

Written from the constituency figures by a fixed set of rules — no language model.