CHENNAI: In perhaps the biggest electoral surprise in recent years, top Tamil actor Vijay's TVK on Monday was on course to win its maiden electoral battle in Tamil Nadu, while Congress-led UDF was poised for a return to the ruling saddle in Kerala after a 10 year-stint in opposition.
Though located between Tamil Nadu districts, neighbouring Puducherry seemed unfazed by a TVK "wave" and once again seems to have given the thumbs up to the incumbent AINRC-led NDA dispensation in the union territory.
Counting of votes polled in the April 9 Assembly polls in Kerala and Puducherry, and the April 23 elections in Tamil Nadu were taken up for counting on Monday in the two states and the UT.
Contrary to most exit polls having predicted a ruling DMK show in Tamil Nadu, debutant Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam was on the path to leading in 109 of the 233 seats it contested. Though the party fielded nominees for all 234 seats, its candidate's nomination in Edappadi in Salem was rejected on technical grounds.
As per latest EC data, TVK was declared winner in three constituencies and was ahead in 104 others. Vijay himself was leading both in Perambur and Tiruchirappali East. The party needs to cross the 118 magic number to form a government on its own.
The DMK, which was trailing behind AIADMK in the third place for a long time, moved up to the second place, but party president and Chief Minister M K Stalin was trailing from his Kolathur seat in Chennai.
In Kerala, opposition Congress-led UDF was poised for a return to power.
While the Congress won 36 seats and was leading in 27 in the 140-member House, key ally IUML won eight seats. The party was forging ahead in 14 other segments.
Pollsters had earlier predicted a UDF return by dethroning the 10 year-old LDF, led by the CPI (M).
The ruling CPI (M) emerged victorious in 19 and was leading in seven seats.
In Puducherry, a tiny UT located about 160 km from Chennai and bordering Tamil Nadu districts Cuddalore and Villupuram on either sides, AINRC-led NDA was on its way for a successive term.
AINRC founder and chief minister N Rangasamy retained Thattanchavady. The coalition, which includes BJP and the AIADMK, won 12 seats. The UT has a total of 30 segments.