DMK likely to sweep back to power
The DMK is most certain to sweep back to power in Tamil Nadu and in great style too. Out of the trends available for 200 of the 234 constituencies in the state, the DMK combine has crossed the magic half-figure mark of 118.
This means that M. Karunandhi, who is being voted in for the 11th time from Chepauk in Chennai, is likely to be the next Chief Minister. His victory will be officially declared anytime now. Celebrations have already begun at Mr. Karunanidhi’s house and at the DMK headquarters in Chennai. Just a few minutes ago, Mr. Karunanidhi made an appearance before cheering party workers at his residence.
Ms. J. Jayalalithaa’s AIADMK has lost. The party is now leading in 50 seats. Very few seats have yet been declared. Ms. Jayalalithaa, however, has done well for herself. She is leading in her constituency of Andipatti.
Vaiko, who dramatically left the DMK for the AIADMK, has not done too well either. His party is leading only in eight constituencies.
Dr. Ramadoss’s PMK despite being in the winning DMK combine has been dealt a body blow by the electorate. The party was leading only in eight seats, which is just about one fourth of the seats it is contesting in.
The Congress is most likely to share power with the DMK to form a coalition government. The DMK-Congress coalition may be the first coalition government in the state. Significantly, in 1967 when the DMK first came to power, it was the party promise on rice that won it the elections.
This time too the promise of rice for Rs 2 a kg and colour TVs at all homes has given a big boost to the party.
The DMK, which was once suspected of having a hand in former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination, has now got to get ready to share power with the Congress, right when Rajiv’s wife Sonia is the president of the party.
Sonia, meanwhile, has as expected won Rae Bareli. Her daughter Priyanka was bathing in the media limelight all through this morning giving sound bytes as party workers gathered at the party headquarters in Delhi to celebrate.
Back in TN, actor turned politician Vijaykanth was leading in Vriddhachalam. His party had contested in all the constituencies in the state, but no final figures are available yet on how much per cent of the votes his party actually took home.
In West Bengal, where the Left is in its 29th year of power, it a Red Letter Day again. Buddhadeb Bhattacharya is now getting ready for a second term as he leads the Left parties into an incredible fourth decade of rule in the state. The party looks set to win in almost 240-250 seats in the 290-member assembly.
In Kerala too the Left looks set to win a simple majority. V S Achudananthan looks likely to be the next CM in the state. The UDF however has not done too badly. It is likely to win in 50 seats in the state.
The eastern state of Assam looks headed for a hung assembly. In the Union Territory of Pondicherry the counting seems to be sluggish with no clear trends emerging yet.
Nandhu,
DMK is coming back to power. Yes. But it is too far from a sweep ;-)
In future, if congress and PMK withdraw their support to DMK the government will collapse :-)
And DMK wont be in a strong position in the centre. They need congress support now. And Congress knows that very well.
This result is good for DMK. But definitely not a clean sweep ;-)
@ferrari
i wud say its a bad result for DMK, a good result would mean 17 seats for DMK, and a numerically superior combine has won, and ADMK winning 70+ seats is a stamp of approval for her government.
DPA has scraped thru due to numerical superiority
MDMK has lost to his rival in madurai by a margin of 52 votes…
oops!
prabhu,
that is true. this is indeed far from a sweep. particularly in many seats, the dmk has just scraped through. and the aiadmk has won an incredible seven seats in Chennai, including S.Ve Shekar in Mylapore. Lok Paritran polled a little less than 10,000 votes in Mylapore.
it’s not too good a result for the DMK. but i doubt the party will find Congress a troublesome ally. in fact, it might even form a minority government with Congress support from the outside. the party wont be needing the support of the PMK and the Left anyway. the Congress i suppose would agree to be a tame partner if it demands joining the coalition.
My crystal-ball says 1.5 to 2yrs before another election. Until then it’ll be grand misrule with the “kazhaga kudumbam” doing everything to further its business interests (first order of business will be re-taking the cable industry). Long live people’s rule!
ADMK’s much improved showing in madras is a welcome change and IMO shows the impact of ADMK’s administration in madras. I dont know the margin of ADMK losses, but if its close, its most likely that ADMK suffered more (than DMK) becos of DMDK and forward bloc.
SVShekar’s success is not unsuprising. Of the “middle-class” voters in mylapore, there is a significant section of brahmins — a factor that might have helped S.V.Se (if they turned up to vote more than expected:)
CPI(M) Lost to ADMK in Singanallur (Coimbatore) by less than 20 votes.
hey,
some of those elections were indeed darn close. but there is no possibility of an election in an year or two. even if MK pops it, someone else will take his place and continue. the infighting in the dmk will get serious only if MK is not around for the 2011 elections.