Tamil Nadu awaits a decisive verdict on Monday as counting of votes is now underway, determining whether the ruling DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance will retain power or if the AIADMK-led NDA can stage a comeback after five years in opposition. The entry of Vijay-led TVK has added a new layer of complexity to the electoral landscape.
Votes from all 234 constituencies has begun across 62 centres under tight security.
Exit polls have broadly projected a win for the DMK-led alliance, though several indicate a close contest, with TVK expected to play a crucial role. With multi-cornered fights and shifting voter dynamics, the final outcome is likely to hinge on narrow margins in several constituencies.
As early trends emerge in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, the TVK led by Vijay is leading in 100 Assembly constituencies followed by the AIADMK in 80 and the DMK in 52.
According to the initial reports from across Tamil Nadu, as many as 23 Ministers including Chief Minister MK Stalin, and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin are trailing behind in various constituencies.
TVK chief Vijay is leading in Perambur as well as in Trichy East constituencies. BJP candidate Tamilisai Soundararajan is trailing behind in Mylapore constituency. Premalatha Vijayakanth of the DMDK is trailing behind in Vriddhachalam.
Starting from the postal votes, the TVK was leading followed by the AIADMK and this trend echoed in the counting of votes polled all constituencies.
Following the early leads, security has been beefed up at the residence of TVK president Vijay in Panaiyur.
TVK national spokesperson Felix Gerald on Monday expressed confidence that the party would form the government in Tamil Nadu with an absolute majority as initial election trends showed the party 'scaling high'.
Speaking to PTI Videos, Gerald stated that the results were expected and claimed that the people of Tamil Nadu have chosen TVK because they are "fed up" with established parties.
"They may have experience of 50 or 75 years, but they have got experience only in looting the state," Gerald said, adding that the electorate trusts TVK as the alternative.
Former Chief Minister and AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami is leading in Edapaddi seat according to the numbers after the first round of counting.
He was sitting with over 5,500 votes and leading by over 3,800. A total of 25 rounds of counting will take place in Edapaddi.
DMK president and CM MK Stalin is trailing behind TVK candidate VS Babu in Kolathur by more than 1000 votes after Round 2.
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) candidate N Chitrarasu is leading from Anna Nagar constituency from Chennai.
If trends continue to remain the same, actor-politician Vijay's TVK is set to emerge as a key player in Tamil Nadu and replace AIADMK as the principal opposition party in the state.
TVK pushed AIADMK to third position in several constituencies while DMK continued to be ahead in the race.
This clearly indicated that Vijay's TVK may change the traditional bipolar electoral politics of Tamil Nadu.
Former Chief Minister and Edapaddi K Palaniswami is leading in Edapaddi Assembly constituency in Salem.
As counting of votes for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections is underway, DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan on Monday expressed strong confidence in the party's prospects, asserting that the DMK will secure "around 130-140 seats" and form the government.
Speaking to ANI, Elangovan said, "DMK will form the government. We will get 40 per cent plus vote share. We will get an absolute majority. DMK alone will get around 130-140 seats. We will form the government."
DMK MP Kalanidhi Veeraswamy on Monday said it is too early to draw conclusions as counting has just begun and only postal ballots have been tallied so far. He said that clearer trends are expected by around 11 am. However, he added that the DMK is performing well in the initial phase and expressed confidence that the party will go on to form the government.
Former Chief Minister and DMK's O Paneerselvam is leading in Bodinayakkanur, very early trends show.
Initial trends emerging from the count of postal ballots in Tamil Nadu show that the incumbent DMK regime is on course to win the polls and retain power under the leadership of Chief Minister and DMK President MK Stalin.
In several constituencies, the DMK was ahead, and it was closely followed by the main opposition AIADMK, according to television reports.
The fledgling TVK is ahead in several constituencies, with NTK led by Tamil nationalist Seeman yet to clearly find a place in the race to secure numbers.
Visuals from Anna Arivalayam, the DMK Headquarters, as party workers and supporters keep a track on the counting of votes.
Actor-turned-politician Vijay's party, TVK, is leading in the early trends, according to TV reports.
Thol Thirumavalavan, chief of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and a key ally of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, downplayed Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, saying it may split votes but lacks the strength to win.
He asserted TVK cannot surpass either the ruling alliance or the opposition, expressing confidence in the DMK’s return to power. He also said VCK is hopeful of winning all eight seats it is contesting.
The vote-counting exercise commenced at 8 am with the postal ballots and at 8.30 am, counting of votes recorded in EVMs will be taken up, EC offcials said.
Counting of votes for the Assembly elections has commenced across Tamil Nadu, with officials initiating the process at all 62 designated counting centres. The exercise covers all 234 Assembly constituencies, with tight security and monitoring arrangements in place to ensure a smooth and transparent counting process.
BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan expressed confidence in an NDA victory, saying voters have backed change in Tamil Nadu. Contesting from Mylapore, she claimed the alliance would also win in Mayiladuthurai.
Criticising the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government for opposing central welfare schemes, she said people will deliver a strong response.
She added that Edappadi K. Palaniswami is set to become Chief Minister with support from National Democratic Alliance leaders.
Exit polls broadly indicate a return to power for the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led alliance, with several projections placing it ahead of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led front and suggesting a comfortable majority in the 234-member Assembly, where the halfway mark is 118. However, two surveys pointed to a hung House.
Axis My India projected 92–110 seats for the DMK-led alliance, 22–23 for the AIADMK plus, and 98–120 for Vijay-led TVK. Kamakhya Analytics forecast 78–95 for the DMK plus, 68–84 for the AIADMK plus and 67–81 for TVK. Other polls indicated a stronger DMK performance.
People’s Pulse projected 125–145 for the DMK-led alliance, 65–80 for AIADMK-BJP and 18–24 for TVK. Matrize forecast 122–132 for DMK-Congress, 87–100 for AIADMK plus and 10–12 for TVK, while P-Marq projected 125–145, 65–85 and 16–26 respectively.
JVC was the only pollster projecting an AIADMK-led win, forecasting 128–147 seats for AIADMK plus, 75–95 for DMK plus and 18–15 for TVK. Praja Poll estimated 148–168 for DMK plus, 61–81 for AIADMK and 1–9 for TVK, while People’s Insight projected 120–140, 60–70 and 30–40 respectively. The wide range underscores a fragmented contest, with TVK’s debut emerging as a key variable in a closely watched three-way race.
DMK faces anti-incumbency test as AIADMK, TVK threat loom large Tamil Nadu awaits a high-stakes verdict on Monday as counting of votes for the April 23 Assembly elections begins, with the outcome set to determine whether the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam retains power or if the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam returns to office after five years in opposition.
Counting will commence at 8 am across 62 centres under a comprehensive three-tier security arrangement, with postal ballots taken up first, followed by electronic voting machines. Over one lakh personnel, including counting staff and security forces, have been deployed, while the Election Commission has introduced QR code-based identity checks to regulate access.
Polling was held across all 234 constituencies, witnessing strong participation. Exit polls have largely projected a win for the DMK-led alliance, though several indicate a close fight, reflecting a competitive electoral landscape. The contest has been further shaped by the entry of actor-politician Vijay’s TVK, which is expected to make an electoral debut with notable impact, and the continued presence of Seeman’s NTK.
Their participation has added a multi-cornered dimension, raising the possibility of vote splits in key constituencies. Both the DMK and AIADMK have activated war rooms to monitor counting in real time, deploying legal teams and communication networks to respond swiftly to any disputes or irregularities.
The heightened vigilance follows narrow margins in several seats in the 2021 elections, with parties bracing for similarly tight contests. With political stakes high and margins expected to be close, the results are set to shape the state’s political trajectory.