Assembly Elections 2021: Early Trends Indicate Edge For DMK, LDF; Close Contest Between TMC, BJP In Bengal

With the counting of votes underway for Assembly elections in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, early trends indicate a close contest between the TMC and BJP in West Bengal, with the DMK, LDF and NDA having an edge in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Assam respectively.

These were the early trends in the four states as of 9.45 am--

West Bengal

The Trinamool Congress and BJP were on Sunday locked in a neck-and-neck contest in West Bengal as counting of postal ballots was underway, with the ruling party having a slight edge, officials said.

While the TMC was leading in 108 constituencies, the BJP in 101.

The Left-Congress-ISF candidates are leading in three places.

West Bengal has recorded 78.32per cent voter turnout in the final and eighth phase of Assembly elections, held in 35 constituencies, chief electoral officer Aariz Aftab said on Friday.

Kolkata reported the lowest turnout at 59.46 per cent, he added.

Tamil Nadu

Early trends indicated an edge for the DMK with the ruling AIADMK following behind and key leaders of both the fronts were leading in their respective segments.

About an hour following commencement of counting of votes for the April 6 Assembly elections, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami was leading in his home segment of Edappadi in Salem district and leader of opposition and DMK president M K Stalin was ahead in Kolathur constituency here.

While the DMK combine was ahead in 30 segments, the AIADMK was leading in at least 18 constituencies.

Indications showed that the DMK was ahead in constituencies including Kurinjipadi, Neyveli, Virudhachalam.

BJP's state unit chief L Murugan was ahead in Dharapuram and AIADMK leaders and state Ministers K C Veeramani and Benjamin were ahead in Jolarpet and Maduravoyal here.

Assam

The ruling BJP-led NDA is leading in 22 seats, while the Grand Alliance spearheaded by the Congress is ahead in 15 places, according to initial trends available from counting of postal ballots in Assam, officials said on Sunday.

The newly formed Assam Jatiya Parishad-Raijor Dal alliance is leading in four assembly seats.

BJP candidates are leading in 16 seats, while those of its ally AGP in six.

The Congress has established initial leads in 14 places and AIUDF in one.

Raijor Dal chief and jailed anti-CAA protest leader Akhil Gogoi is leading from Sibsagar.

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and AGP chief and minister Atul Bora are leading from Majuli, Jalukbari and Bokakhat.

Congress Legislative Party chief and his deputy Debabrata Saikia and Rakibul Hussain both are trailing from Nazira and Samaguri.

Assam has a 126-member assembly and 64 seats are needed for a simple majority.

Kerala

The ruling LDF in Kerala was leading in 75 of the total 140 seats while opposition UDF was ahead in 56 segments as counting of votes for the April 6 assembly elections got underway on Sunday.

Initial trends indicated that the BJP-led NDA is ahead in two seats-Palakkad, where 'Metroman' E Sreedharan is contesting and Nemom, the lone seat won by the saffron party in the 2016 assembly polls.

Early leads showed that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Health Minister K K Shailaja, former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and oppositionleader Ramesh Chennithala were leading in their respective constituencies, while BJP state chief K Surendran was trailing in both the seats-Konni and Manjeswaram- he contested.

As per the Election Commission website, the ruling CPI(M) was leading in five, CPI in two and the opposition Congress in five.

(With PTI inputs)