Chennai: Tamil Nadu on Friday gave an overwhelming mandate to opposition AIADMK combine which is set to win over 200 seats in the 234-member Assembly, proving psephologists wrong yet again.
Contrary to poll surveys, which predicted a neck-and-neck race, the AIADMK was well set to sweep the polls and form the next government on its own, after a dealing a crushing blow to the DMK. Conceding defeat, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi submitted the resignation of his cabinet to the Governor who accepted it and asked him to continue till alternative arrangements were made.
The DMK might end up with 23 seats if the current trends continued, pushing it to the third spot after AIADMK's ally and actor-politician Vijaykant's DMDK, poised to win 25 seats. DMK's key ally Congress, for the first time in Tamil Nadu's electoral history, would be reduced to single digit having established a lead only in seven seats.
Most of the leaders of DMK, Congress and PMK were trailing their rivals. AIADMK tsunami swept all the regions of the state handing a crushing blow to the DMK-Congress combine. Chief Minister M Karunanidhi has established an unassailable lead of more than 50,000 votes over his rival in Tiruvarur while AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa was ahead by over 11,000 votes in Srirangam.
Karunanidhi was leading by 50,000 votes over his AIADMK rival M Rajendaran in Tiruvarur Assembly constituency. Jayalalithaa, whose party is set to sweep the Assembly polls, was ahead by 11,715 votes over his immediate DMK rival N Anand in Srirangam.
However, Karunanidhi's son Deputy Chief Minister MK Stalin was trailing his AIADMK rival S Doraisamy by over 150 votes at the end of eighth round of counting in Kolathur.
At Mylapore, TNCC President KV Thangabalu was behind his AIADMK rival Rajalakshmi by over 14,000 votes.
Spiralling prices, power cut, corruption, especially the 2G spectrum scam, and the DMK first family's "domination" in every sphere seemed to have cost the DMK dearly, giving a rude shock to the ruling party.
The run-up to the elections saw no visible anti-incumbency wave, and the pre-poll surveys and exit polls had predicted a close fight between the two major Dravidian parties, though some had given a slight edge to the AIADMK.
Ever since the 1989 Assembly elections, Tamil Nadu had been witnessing change of guard alternately and this election was no exception.
AIADMK is headed for a sweep in the Tamil Nadu Assembly polls, having established leads in 199 constituencies in the 234-member House.
The ruling DMK front was way behind, leading only in 34 constituencies, as per the latest trends. Most of the ministers including DMK General Secretary K Anbazhagan were trailing.
Chief Minister M Karunanidhi has established an unassailable lead of more than 50,000 votes over his rival in Tiruvarur while AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa was ahead by over 11,000 votes in Srirangam.
Karunanidhi was leading by 50,000 votes over his AIADMK rival M Rajendaran in Tiruvarur Assembly constituency. Jayalalithaa, whose party is set to sweep the Assembly polls, was ahead by 11,715 votes over his immediate DMK rival N Anand in Srirangam.
However, Karunanidhi's son Deputy Chief Minister MK Stalin was trailing his AIADMK rival S Doraisamy by over 150 votes at the end of eighth round of counting in Kolathur.
At Mylapore, TNCC President KV Thangabalu was behind his AIADMK rival Rajalakshmi by over 14,000 votes.
AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa is set to become Chief Minister for the third time in Tamil Nadu after worsting DMK in the keenly-contested elections in which the 2G scam was a major issue.
Jayalalithaa and DMK patriarch M Karunandhi were ahead in Srirangam and Tiruvarur respectively.
The CNN-IBN - The Week poll had predicted a victory for the Jayalalithaa alliance. The election was fought in the shadow of corruption allegations in the 2G scam and the promise of freebies like laptops and grinders.
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