In Tamil Nadu’s Legislative Assembly elections, there’s one alliance that is often taken for granted — that of elections and biryani.

The delicacy, which involves the slow cooking of rice in thick gravy of mutton or chicken, and is usually served to accompaniments of the dalchar (non-vegetarian lentil stew), and a yoghurt and onion chutney, plus a boiled egg crowning the helping, has for long been the staple treat on the election trail in Tamil Nadu.