TN Assembly Bypolls: Sun Nearly Sets for AIADMK, DMK Sees New Dawn

Had the DMK won 21 seats, they could’ve overthrown the AIADMK government but only managed 14.

File image of DMK President MK Stalin.

(Photo: PTI)

MK Stalin's Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is leading in both the Lok Sabha elections 2019 and Tamil Nadu and Puducherry bypolls.

The DMK-led front, which comprises Congress and the IUML, has managed to lead in 37 of 39 parliamentary seats and the party was leading alone on 23 seats.

It was also able to secure around 14 seats out of 22 seats in the Assembly bypolls after back-to-back poll debacles. The party had lost the 2011 and 2016 Assembly polls and 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Had the DMK won 21 seats, they could’ve overthrown the AIADMK government and Stalin could have taken over as the chief minister. However, now that AIADMK has gained enough number of seats, there is no imminent threat to the government.

Congress' Karti P Chidambaram won from Sivaganga constituency, defeating H Raja of BJP.

In Erode, Ganeshamurthi A of DMK defeated AIADMK's Manimaran G by 2,10,618 votes.

AIADMK, under the leadership of Jayalalithaa, made a clean sweep in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls by winning 37 out of the 40 seats.

The TTV Dhinakaran factor failed to register an impact in the ballots. The rebel leader didn’t cut into the AIADMK vote share, as was expected.