Vote counting commenced across all 234 Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu on Monday, with early trends indicating a strong debut performance by the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), a new entrant led by actor-turned-politician Vijay.
TVK Opens Account Strongly
The party opened its account in postal ballot trends and, according to early indications, emerged as the single largest party ahead of both the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). Party leader Felix Gerald expressed confidence in forming the government without any external support.
Vijay Leads in Tiruchirappalli East
TVK chief Vijay, making his electoral debut, is currently leading in Tiruchirappalli East after the first round of counting. He is contesting from both Tiruchirappalli East and Perambur seats, with his performance seen as crucial for the party's first major political test in the state.
Triangular Contest Emerges
TVK is contesting independently, taking on the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by AIADMK and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while the DMK-led alliance, along with Congress, seeks to retain power. The entry of TVK has added a triangular contest to Tamil Nadu politics, traditionally dominated by DMK and AIADMK-led alliances.
Early Trends Show TVK Candidates Leading
Early trends suggest that around 15 TVK candidates are leading in different constituencies, including G Ramamoorthi in Tiruchirappalli West, Senthil Kumar N in Srivaikuntam, Saravanan G in Thiruvottiyur, and Sathish Christopher in Radhapuram. In Tiruchirappalli East, DMK candidate Inigo Irudayaraj is trailing in the initial round.
Counting Process Underway
Supporters of TVK gathered early outside the party headquarters as counting began at 8 am under tight security across Chennai and other centres. The process began with postal ballots at 8 am, followed by Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) counting from 8:30 am. Results are being updated in real time on the ECINET platform and the Election Commission's official portal.
Exit Polls vs Early Trends
While exit polls had largely projected a continuation of DMK-led rule, early trends suggest a competitive start to the counting process. Tamil Nadu is among four states and a Union Territory where results are being declared following polling held on April 23, with a second phase in West Bengal on April 29.
At the Queen Mary's College counting centre, postal ballot counting also began early, with DMK initially taking a lead in the very early trends.
