The main opposition is all set to return to power in Tamil Nadu after a long wait of ten years. As the counting of votes polled in the April six elections commenced this morning, it turned out to be a one-horse race as the DMK has established leads in a majority of the 234 constituencies.
By noon it came clear that the DMK’s 10-year wait to return to power will come to an end, as it crossed the simple majority mark.
After nine hours of counting, the DMK was leading in 121 seats and the alliance led by it leading in 143 seats, as the DMK is poised to win the polls with a clear majority. The ruling AIADMK, which has been aiming for a hat-trick of wins after it bucked the trend and won the polls in 2016, is in distant second.
It was leading in 81 seats and the front headed by it was ahead in a total of 90 seats. Its allies the PMK and BJP was leading in six and three seats respectively.
Actor-politician Kamal Haasan of the nascent Makkal Needhi Maiyam (MNM) is leading in Coimbatore South, while his party nominees were trailing at third or fourth places in a majority of seats.