DMK, Allies Set Tamil Nadu Sweep; BJP Crosses 10 Percent Vote Share

In a first, BJP crossed the 10 per cent vote share-mark in Tamil Nadu and has so far registered a share of 10.21 per cent, though it could not emerge in lead positions anywhere.

While DMK is ahead in 21 segments, Congress is in first spot in eight constituencies. VCK, CPI and CPI(M) are leading in two seats each and MDMK and IUML, the other two allies of the ruling party ahead in one seat each. In all, DMK and allies, round after round, are consistent in adding more votes to their kitty and in total are very likely to be victorious in 37 out of 39 seats.

The main opposition party, AIADMK which was leading in just two seats (Namakkal--S Tamilmani and Kallakurichi--R Kumaraguru) are now trailing behind their DMK rivals.

BJP's ally PMK (Sowmiya Anbumani) is ahead in Dharmapuri by 16,516 votes and DMK's Mani A is in the second position.

AIADMK's partner Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam's V Vijayaprabhakaran is ahead in Virudhunagar by a margin of 7,352 votes and well known Congress leader B Manickam Tagore is trailing behind him. BJP's R Radikaa, a popular actress is in the third spot.

In Coimbatore, DMK continues to be ahead and the margin between Annamalai (BJP) and Ganapathy P Rajkumar (DMK), which was about 3,000 about an hour and a half ago is widening and now the differnence is 11,909. DMK's A Raja is ahead by an unassailable 76,110 votes and BJP's L Murugan is in the distant second spot and AIADMK's D Logesh Tamilselvan is in the third spot.

IAS officer-turned-politician Sasikanth Senthil (Congress) is leading in Tiruvallur by a huge margin of 98,246 votes.

AIADMK's ally DMDK candidate K Nallathambi is in the second spot followed by BJP nominee Pon V Balaganapathy.

The BJP nearly clocked 9 per cent vote share by 10.30 am and has reached the double digit mark as expected.

In Erode, where the AIADMK pinned its hopes on its candidate Aatral Ashok Kumar is trailing behind DMK's KE Prakash by 44,351 votes.

DMK's star candidates Kanimozhi (Thoothukudi), T R Baalu (Sriperumbudur), Dayanidhi Maran (Central Chennai), Tamizhachi Thangapandian (South Chennai) are leading in their respective constituencies.

The DMK took an early lead in a number of constituencies across Tamil Nadu as election officials first took up the count of postal ballots at 8 am on Tuesday.

From 8.30 am, when count of EVM votes were taken up with the completion of count of postal ballots between 8 am and 8.30 am the initial trends from across Tamil Nadu indicated a clear advantage for the DMK and its allies and they continue to be ahead by comfortable margins.

Allies of the DMK including Congress party's Karti Chidambaram (Sivaganga) and Marxist party candidate Su Venkatesan (Madurai) have a decisive lead over others.