AIADMK leads in 139 seats, all set to retain power in TN

CHENNAI/COIMBATORE/MADURAI: Initial trends in Tamil Nadu show that AIADMK is comfortably placed to return to power. The party headed by J Jayalalithaa, which contested in all 234 constituencies along with other minor parties, is leading in 139 constituencies followed by its arch-rival DMK in 79 constituencies.
AIADMK has virtually swept the western region consisting of Coimbatore, Erode, Salem, Nilgiris, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri and Namakkal districts.In Chennai, DMK is set to make a comeback as the party has established early leads in several constituencies except R K Nagar where Jayalalithaa is in the fray. DMK treasurer M K Stalin is comfortably placed in Kolathur constituency.
In Coimbatore district, the ruling party leads in Mettupalayam , Valparai and Kinathikudavu constituencies. The AIADMK is also leading in Pollachi, Thondamuthur and Coimbatore South. In Thondamuthur constituency, rural and municipal development minister S P Velumani leads by 6,636 votes.
AIADMK leads in all six constituencies in Tirupur district. The ruling party leads in Avinashi, Tirupur North, Tirupur South, Dharapuram, Udumalaipet and Kangeyam.
In Madurai district, the AIADMK was leading in in Madurai North, Thirumangalam and Thiruparankundram.
In the Madurai North, AIADMK candidate and the former Madurai Mayor V V Rajan Chellappa secured 10, 796, Congress candidate V Karthikeyan got 4,743 votes and the DMDK candidate S Mujipur Rahman scored 2,337 votes.
In the Thirumangalam, AIADMK candidate and the minister R B Udhayakumar got 17, 822 votes and the INC candidate R Jeyaraman secured 14, 195 votes.
All the members of the third front have drawn a blank in the trends so far. Vijayakanth is trailing in Ulundurpet with TV channels saying he is in third place.