■ At least 8 Ministers lose popular vote
Five-time MLA D Jayakumar, Benjamin, Pandiarajan, C Ve Shanmugham, Rajendra Bhalaji, KC Veeramani and Vellamandi Natarajan face drubbing
While the AIADMK leaders in the Kongu region performed better than their counterparts in Chennai, those from Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Villupuram and Virudhunagar districts performed badly with more than eight ministers losing to the candidates fielded by the DMK-led alliance. Five-time MLA and senior AIADMK minister D Jayakumar, ministers Benjamin, R Pandiarajan, C Ve Shanmugham, Rajendra Bhalaji, KC Veeramani, Vellamandi Natarajan lost their sitting seats in a loss of face to the party and Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami.
Former Chennai mayor Saidai S Duraisamy, former ministers Gokula Indira, P Valarmathi also lost in the Chennai region. The victory margin of the DMK candidates was high in Saidapet, Alandur and Anna Nagar where the AIADMK also fielded heavyweights.
A strong fight continued in Karur, where Transport Minister MR Vijayabhaskar and DMK strongman Senthil Balaji were in the fray.
While the victory margin of Kongu AIADMK leaders like Chief Minister
K Palaniswami, ministers SP Velumani and P Thangamani, and Speaker P Dhanapal ranged from 10,000 to 90,000 votes, the performance of AIADMK heavyweights in north Tamil Nadu comprising the Chennai region was worst for the party. Seats like RK Nagar, Royapuram, Avadi, Maduravoyal and Ambattur, which were earlier with the AIADMK, were wrested by the DMK.
In the 2011 Assembly elections, several DMK minister lost and a record of 16 ministers had lost their seats.
In 2016, four AIADMK ministers lost their seats and this time the AIADMK is likely to lose around 8 to 10 seats represented by their ministers.