A smiling AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa made a brief appearance on the balcony of her Poes Gardens residence and waved to her countless supporters gathered outside in celebrations of landslide victory of her party led alliance, reducing Congress to single digit numbers and possibly inflicting the worst ever defeat on DMK.
Top police and administrative officials made a beeline to the prospective chief minister in courtesy calls as Amma finetuned swearing in ceremony preparations.
Jayalalithaa had booked the Centenary hall of the Madras university for the swearing in ceremony, likely on Monday or Tuesday, after an auspicious time is indicated by her astrologers.
Although not a single result has been declared so far, trends available for all the 234 seats spell a sweeping victory for Jayalalitha led alliance and a clear cut majority for AIADMK, which will form a government without the help of any of her allies. Jayalalithaa returns to power after five years, when she was ousted by DMK-Congress combine during the 2006 assembly elections in which DMDK leader, actory Vijaykanth played the spoilsport by eating into her vote bank. Vijayakanth had contested alone and garnered over 8 % vote share, which cost AIADMK many seats.
This time however, Jayalalithaa firmed up an alliance with Vijayakanth and also tied up with the Left parties to form a formidable alliance that worked on the ground.
{{/usCountry}}This time however, Jayalalithaa firmed up an alliance with Vijayakanth and also tied up with the Left parties to form a formidable alliance that worked on the ground.
{{/usCountry}}Jayalalithaa in a brief quote after trends said "DMK should have listen to the people of Tamil Nadu".
Firm results are expected to start trickling in around 4 pm. The leads, barring in very few seats, are expected to hold good to give a thumping majority for the AIADMK alliance, reducing the Congress to single digits and the DMK to its worst ever electoral performance in its history. As per the latest trends available, the DMK is expected to win about 24 seats and the Congress may find it difficult to notch up double digit numbers. The Congress, which had 34 members in the outgoing assembly, had contested 63 seats in alliance with the DMK and was hoping to form a coalition government with the DMK. It might end up with seven or eight seats. One of the DMK's alliance partners, Viduthalai Chirtutaigal Katchi, a dalit party, may not win even a single seat.
DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan said the party accepted the peoples verdict and would introspect after the results to find out the exact causes for the defeat.