DMK-led Front sweeps Assembly bypolls, AIADMK govt nearly survives

True to exit poll predictions, the Opposition DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) in Tamil Nadu swept the Lok Sabha polls, heading for a resounding victory, even as the ruling AIADMK just managing to survive with a simple majority in the Assembly bypolls, as counting of votes continued on Thursday night.

The DMK-led combine, bucked the National trend, and was poised to win 37 of the 38 Parliamentary seats, for which single phase elections were held on April 18 while the ruling AIADMK was leading in just one seat, a far cry from 37 seats in had won in 2014 polls, when late leader J Jayalalithaa singled-handedly guided the party and decimated the entire Opposition.

The DMK-led alliance was leading with big margins in 37 seats with DMK in 19, Congress-8 (out of nine), CPIM- 2, CPI-2, VCK-2, IJK, MDMK, KDMK, IUML-1 each).

It was repeat performance of DMK-Congress alliance in 2004, when it won all the 39 seats and again in 2009, when they won 27 seats.

In the Assembly bypolls to 22 seats (held in two phases), which determined the fate of the AIADMK government, DMK was all set to win 13 seats and the AIADMK nine seats.

But DMK's good performance would not help in its goal of unseating the AIADMK regime, as it fell short in numbers.

9: 12 pm: ADMK wins Arur constituency

9: 12 pm: DMK wins Hosur and Poonamallee constituencies 

8:49 pm: DMK wins Ottapidaram constituency

8:36 pm: ADMK wins Pappireddipatti constituency

8:36 pm: DMK wins Thiruparankundram

7:56 pm: DMK wins Periyakulam constituency

7:43 pm: ADMK wins Sattur and Sulur constituencies

7:32 pm: DMK's Senthil Balaji wins Aravakurichi constituency

6:33 pm: DMK wins Thiruvarur constituency

6:30 pm: ADMK wins Manamathurai constituency

5:40 pm: DMK wins Gudiyatham constituency

5:36 pm: ADMK wins Vilathikulam constituency

5:36 pm: ADMK wins Nilakottai and Sholingur constituencies

4:46 pm: DMK's Senthil Idhaya Varman declared winner in Thiruporur constituency

4:38 pm: DMK's Neelamegham wins in Thanjavur constituency

3:59 pm: Commotion prevails in Perambur, as ADMK candidate RS Rajesh demands election officials to stop counting.

3:44 pm: DMK leads by 500 votes in Sulur constituency

3:24 pm: DMK declared win in Gudiyatham assembly constituency

3:02 pm:  DMK's  Viswanathan won in Ambur assembly constituency

2:42 pm:  DMK steering towards victory in 14 constituencies, while ADMK gaining 8 seats.