SUN RISE IN TN FOR DMK

DMK’s long-time prince-inwaiting M K Stalin is set to be the next Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and the AIADMK is on its way out after being in power for 10 years, if the results of exit polls conducted by multiple agencies on Thursday come true. Counting of votes polled in the Assembly election will be held on Sunday.

All leading exit polls point at a regime change in the State and give the DMK-led rainbow alliance comfortable numbers ranging from 160 to 195 seats in the 234member House. The AIADMK, which projected incumbent Edappadi K Palaniswami as its Chief Ministerial candidate, could garner anywhere between 38 to 70 seats, according to the exit poll results.

Tamil Nadu had faced a five-cornered poll on April 6. However, it appears that voters have not backed alternative fronts led by actor Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam, film director Seeman’s Naam Tamilar Katchi and TTV Dhinakaran’s Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam. According to exit poll projections, Seeman, who fielded candidates in all 234 seats would draw a blank, while the AMMK is expected to win between zero and six seats and Kamal Haasan may get a maximum of two seats. The Republic-CNX exit poll has predicted that the DMK would win 160 to 170 seats and the AIADMK 58-68 seats; the ABP News C Voter gives the DMK 160-172 seats and the AIADMK 58-70 seats. Today’s Chanakya said DMK would romp home in 175 to 186 seats, while the AIADMK front would see its candidates win in 57 to 68 seats. India Today Axis My India gave the highest tally of 175 to 195 to the DMK and only 38 to 54 seats to the ruling AIADMK. The P-Marq exit poll said the DMK could win between 165 and 190 seats, while the AIADMK would romp home in 40 to 65. The AIADMK front comprises the PMK, the BJP and smaller parties, while the DMK faced the polls in the company of the Congress, MDMK, VCK, CPI, CPM, IUML and a few smaller parties.