Tamil Nadu Assembly Election Results 2021: DMK crosses halfway mark

Leads are in for as many as 224 seats in Tamil Nadu. Opposition DMK-Congress alliance has crossed the halfway mark in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly. DMK is leading with 126 seats, AIADMK on 96. This is keeping in line with India Today-Axis My India exit poll that predicted that AIADMK is likely to win 38-54 seats, while MK Stalin's DMK is likely to win 175-195 seats.

According to early trends, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is leading in most of the constituencies in Chennai and Southern part of Tamil Nadu. BJP is leading in three seats including Chennai's Harbour seat.

The DMK president is leading an eight-party alliance in the Tamil Nadu Assembly election against the AIADMK-BJP-PMK alliance.

MK Stalin who took over the DMK fought a tough electoral battle against AIADMK-BJP alliance, CM Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Paneerselvam. This is the first assembly election in the state without political icons like M Karunanidhi 'Kalaignar' and J Jayalalithaa 'Amma'.

MK Stalin who would be appointed Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu if DMK wins, is yet to garner a mass appeal like his father, the late M Karunanidhi who had also served as the chief minister. Nevertheless, MK Stalin is no novice. He was groomed by his father from an early age. He campaigned in the 1867 elections in Tamil Nadu as a 14-year-old boy. He is a six-time MLA in Tamil Nadu, with his first victory in 1991. He became the President of DMK after Karunanidhi's death in 2018. At 68 now, Stalin has huge shoes to fill if appointed as CM.

Also read: Election Result 2021 Live Updates: Counting of votes begins in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, Puducherry