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Tamil Nadu CM E Palaniswami on Monday, 3 May, tendered his resignation to Governor Banwarilal Purohit. This comes after the DMK-Congress+ alliance earned a comfortable majority in the state, garnering 159 seats, with MK Stalin all set to become the chief minister for the first time.
The AIADMK's alliance managed to get just 75 seats, including 66 by the Palaniswami-led party and four by the BJP.
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All exit polls, conducted by local and national television channels predicted a massive victory for the DMK-Congress alliance.
The Republic-CNX and the CVoter exit polls predicted that the UPA will secure around 160 seats, while the AIADMK-led alliance will grab 58 to 70 seats.
And while the News24-Chanakya survey projected that the DMK alliance will secure around 164 to 186 seats, the India Today-Axis My India poll pegged a higher number for the alliance at around 175 to 195 seats.
Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases across the country, the Election Commission of India has banned all victory processions on or after the day of counting of votes for the Assembly elections.
The poll body also said that not more than two persons will be allowed to accompany the winning candidate or his/her authorised representative to receive the certificate of election from the returning officer concerned.
Counting for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections began at 8 am on Sunday, 2 May, with 236 seats in the fray. All eyes are on MK Stalin and Edappadi Palaniswami in Tamil Nadu as the duo lock horns.
Early trends from Tamil Nadu show that the DMK-Congress alliance is leading in three seats.
With postal ballots being counted, early trends from the state show the DMK-Congress alliance leading in nine seats, while the AIADMK-BJP alliance is leading in four.
The DMK-Congress alliance is now ahead of the AIADMK-BJP alliance in 22 seats. The trends as of 8.43 am are thus:
The DMK-Congress alliance is now ahead of the AIADMK-BJP alliance in 25 seats. The trends as of 8.47 am are thus:
The DMK-Congress alliance is now ahead of the AIADMK-BJP alliance in 36 seats. Meanwhile, TTV Dhinakaran's Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) has opened its account and is leading in one seat. The trends as of 8.54 am are thus:
The DMK-Congress alliance is now ahead of the AIADMK-BJP alliance in 43 seats.
Actor-politician Kamal Hassan's Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) has opened its account and is leading in one seat. Meanwhile, the DMK-Congress alliance leading in 78 seats, while the AIADMK-BJP alliance is leading in 55.
According to The News Minute, MNM chief Kamal Haasan is leading in Coimbatore South by a slight margin over INC's Mayura Jayakumar. Here is the status of some other key candidates:
The DMK alliance, which is leading in 112 seats, is nearing the halfway-mark, while the AIADMK alliance is leading in 82 constituencies.
Early trends from Tamil Nadu show the DMK-led alliance crossing the halfway-mark with leads in 120 seats, while the AIADMK-led alliance is leading in 90.
Actor-turned-politician Khushbu Sundar is trailing in Thousand Lights Assembly seat.
Meanwhile, Udhayanidhi Stalin, Kollywood actor, son of DMK President MK Stalin and party youth wing secretary – who is making his debut in politics – is leading from Chepauk-Thiruvellikeni.
Tamil Nadu BJP President L Murugan is leading in Dharapuram.
MNM chief Kamal Haasan has a slim lead in Coimbatore South.
Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi Palaniswami is leading in his seat of Edappadi by 14,281 votes.
Tamil Nadu Deputy CM O Panneerselvam and joint coordinator of AIADMK is trailing in his seat of Bodinayakanur by a slim margin of 124 votes.
Early trends from Tamil Nadu show the DMK-led alliance leading in 138 seats, while the AIADMK-led alliance is leading in 95.
In Thousand Lights constituency, DMK's Ezhilan is reportedly leading by over 9,300 votes against BJP's Khushbu Sundar.
DMK's Udhayanidhi Stalin leading from Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni constituency by 16,819 votes.
Early trends from Tamil Nadu show the DMK-led alliance leading in 137 seats, while the AIADMK-led alliance is leading in 96.
DMK President MK Stalin is the son of former chief minister late M Karunanidhi and is leading from Kolathur constituency.
MK Stalin, known as ‘the leader in waiting’ believes anti-incumbency will work in favour of DMK, a party that has been out of power for over a decade.
Head of the DMK youth wing, mayor of Chennai, deputy chief minister, opposition leader, DMK president...MK Stalin, the political heir of Karunanidhi is eyeing the big prize: Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
The Quint ‘untiffins’ the DMK leader, party ideology, political legacy and ambitions. Read here.
The BJP is leading in five seats in early trends in Tamil Nadu.
These seats include Tirunelveli, Dharapuram, Harbour, Nilgiri and Kanyakumari. These results are an improvement for the party, which did not pick up any seats in the last Assembly election in 2016 and the Lok Sabha polls in 2019.
As the DMK alliance looks set to win the polls, supporters have gathered outside the party headquarters in Chennai to celebrate their party's victory in the election. The DMK is currently leading in 137 seats of 234 as per early trends.
Trends from Tamil Nadu show the DMK-led alliance comfortably ahead with leads in 140 seats, while the AIADMK-led alliance is leading in 93.
The biggest challenge for AIADMK will be to justify its alliance with the BJP.
In the state’s ethos, the BJP is considered a threat to its cultural heritage. Meanwhile, the Indian National Congress, which has won elections in Tamil Nadu till 1960s, is only an incidental ally of the DMK. The Congress has tactically aligned with the DMK’s politics, experts say.
In 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the DMK alliance won 37 out of the 38 seats because they fought, what the VCK had then called, “an ideological fight” against the BJP.
Read the full story here.
The Congress is currently leading in 16 seats Tamil Nadu, trends show. This is an improvement of eight seats from their final tally in 2016, when they had won eight in total. Meanwhile, they had only managed to pick up five seats in 2011.
DMK supporters on Sunday celebrated outside party headquarters in Chennai as official trends showed the party leading on 118 seats so far.
This comes even as the Election Commission has banned any victory procession amid the COVID-19 situation in the country.
In light of celebrations by party workers, the Election Commission on Sunday said that it had taken “serious note of reports coming in of congregation(s) of people to celebrate anticipated victory.”
The EC said that it has directed Chief Secretaries of all five states to file FIRs in each such case, suspend the concerned SHO and report the action taken immediately with regard to each such incident, ANI reported.
TN Deputy CM O Panneerselvam, who was earlier trailing DMK’s Thangatamilselvam in Bodinayakanur seat, is now leading from it by a margin of 1,333 votes, according to EC data.
Touted to be wildcard in this Assembly election, TTV Dhinakaran, VK Sasikala’s nephew and Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) founder is narrowly trailing by 19 votes from Kovilpatti constituency.
DMK President MK Stalin on Sunday asked party cadre not to leave the counting centre till end of counting of votes. He also asked them to be vigilant, and contact headquarters if handing over of their victory certificate is delayed.
"Avoid celebrations due to COVID-19," he said.
“The cadres are simply jubilant. Our leader's advice to the cadres is that let them celebrate from their homes as Election Commission is taking serious note of any violation. We are a responsible political party,” TKS Elangovan of the DMK said in Chennai.
MNM chief Kamal Haasan is leading from Coimbatore (South) by over 2,000 votes. Close behind him is Congress’ Mayura Jayakumar.
In Aravakurichi, a close battle is ensuing between K Annamalai, the BJP's candidate, who is making his electoral debut against DMK's R Elango. Annamalai is currently trailing the latter by 583 votes.
A former Karnataka-cadre IPS officer, since K Annamalai joined BJP in Tamil Nadu about eight months back, he has been fiercely campaigning for the saffron party, not missing a single chance to challenge DMK leaders for a debate.
The battle is tough for Annamalai as the BJP does not have any base in the constituency and is entirely dependent on the AIADMK. Besides his own reputation as a “no nonsense” police officer, he is also banking on caste votes as he belongs to the dominant Gounder caste.
DMK workers and supporters, who were celebrating at the party headquarters, have now left after the Election Commission ordered states and UTs to prohibit victory celebrations urgently in light of the COVID-19 surge, reports ANI.
DMK president MK Stalin is leading in Kolathur with 3,697 Votes.
Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi Palaniswami is leading in his seat of Edappadi by 19,903 votes.
DMK's Udhayanidhi Stalin is leading from Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni constituency by 21,841 votes.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh took to Twitter to congratulate MK Stalin, as EC trends reflect a clear lead for DMK alliance.
MNM chief Kamal Haasan is leading from Coimbatore (South) by 2,715 votes.
Various prominent political figures including National Conference’s Omar Abdullah, NCP’s Supriya Sule and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav have taken to Twitter to congratulate MK Stalin.
Deputy Chief Minister and joint coordinator of AIADMK O Panneerselvam is leading from Bodinayakanur with almost 4,000 votes.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has congratulated MK Stalin and said:
“People of Tamil Nadu have voted for change and we will, under your leadership, prove to be a confident step in that direction.”
As per News18, Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi Palaniswami has won from the Edappadi seat.
As per News18, DMK’s Udhayanidhi Shalin has won from the Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni.
MNM’s Kamal Haasan and BJP’s Vanathi Srinivasan appear to be neck-and-neck in Coimbatore (South), with Kamal Haasan presently leading by a very small margin of 815 votes.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Sunday, 2 May, tweeted his congratulations to MK Stalin and DMK, as the DMK+ coalition inched closer to a win in the Assembly elections.
Kushboo Sundar, the celebrity entrant into Tamil Nadu BJP, is trailing by over 17,522 votes against DMK’s Ezhilan in Chennai’s Thousand Lights constituency.
MNM chief Kamal Haasan is now trailing behind BJP’s Vanathi Srinivasan by 890 votes in Coimbatore (South).
Thanking PM Modi for his congratulatory message, DMK chief MK Salin said: “I look forward to working with the Union Government to fulfil aspirations of the State.”
Tamil Nadu CM E Palaniswami on Monday, 3 May, tendered his resignation to Governor Banwarilal Purohit. The governor has accepted it and requested him to continue till alternative arrangements are mad, PTI reported, quoting the Raj Bhavan.