All eyes are on 'Thalapathy' Vijay as his TVK has rushed past the two Dravidian majors in its poll debut. As the counting of votes progresses in Tamil Nadu, the TVK was ahead in over 115 seats, while the AIADMK-led NDA alliance was second, leading in over 60 seats. At least a dozen ministers, including the Chief Minister and DMK boss M. K. Stalin, were trailing in the southern state.
Here are five of the latest updates from Tamil Nadu as the counting of votes progresses:
- Vijay's TVK is leading in four out of the five constituencies in the Nellai district, with Ambasamudram being the only exception. Assembly Speaker Appavu is trailing in the Radhapuram constituency, Tamil media reports said. At the end of the fourth round, he had 13,224 votes, while the TVK's Christopher is leading by a margin of 1,726 votes with 14,950 votes. The BJP candidate is third with 10,545 votes, the reports added.
- The TVK is also ahead in Trichy and Coimbatore. Vijay's party cadres are ahead in the constituencies of Coimbatore North, Valparai, Kinathukadavu, Kaundampalayam, Singanallur, and Sulur.
- The CPI(M), which contested in an alliance with the DMK, is ahead in two seats. The communist party was ahead in Thiruthuraipoondi by over 5,000 votes, while the Srivilliputhur seat has handed them a slender lead of over 500 votes.
- Meanwhile, the BJP was only ahead in three seats: Nagercoil, Thali, and Udhagamandalam.
- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin was among 14 DMK ministers trailing in their respective constituencies even after the third round of counting.
According to the Election Commission (EC), Stalin, who is contesting in Kolathur, was trailing by 2,277 votes. Likewise, Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin was trailing by 1,244 votes in Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni. DMK General Secretary and senior minister Durai Murugan was also trailing by 2,293 votes in the Katpadi Assembly segment. Similarly, other ministers, including P. Geetha Jeevan (Thoothukkudi), Ma. Subramanian (Saidapet), E. V. Velu (Tiruvannamalai), P. K. Sekarbabu (Harbour), T. M. Anbarasan (Alandur), K. N. Nehru (Trichy West), Govi Chezhian (Thiruvidaimarudur), Nasar (Avadi), Mathiventhan (Rasipuram), T. R. B. Rajaa (Mannargudi), K. K. S. S. R. Ramachandran, and Thangam Thennarasu in Tiruchuli, were trailing.
