![Gossip Lanka News [English]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhYm2aFFq-bIW1nWX-RrqnPFoIsVos6_VCVz8BpLt0QJi55GNXHXC2fugeRvL0qUStEuCfs7Sfu6ZiSlhrkldxfGuE_wzy5gitY6rMZ2KSi8VBbGvkgXLks37RwZV-4-HKbWiNLRxB8C_r1e4z3mpxFTMPDJPEADoG8E-bZteWFipeD5KNGbjvCfqEfKw=s300 "Gossip Lanka News [English]")
Vote counting for the 2026 Tamil Nadu State Assembly elections began today (May 04) at around 8:00 AM, and the preliminary election trends released so far indicate a massive upheaval in state politics.
Polling for all 234 seats in the state was held simultaneously on April 23, with a record voter turnout of 85.1 percent.
According to the preliminary results received so far, the 'Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam' (TVK) party, led by South Indian superstar actor Vijay, has surpassed the 100-seat mark and is leading in over 109 seats, which critics point out as a breaking of the dominance of the two major Dravidian parties that have prevailed in Tamil Nadu for decades.
The main opposition party, AIADMK, led by Edappadi K. Palaniswami, is in second place, securing nearly 73 seats, while the ruling DMK alliance of current Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has been relegated to third place.
A notable feature of this election is that actor Vijay is leading by a significant margin in both Perambur and Tiruchirappalli (East) constituencies, where he contested, while current Chief Minister M.K. Stalin is trailing in the Kolathur constituency.
Vijay, who bid farewell to his cinema career in February 2024 to enter full-time politics, contested all 234 seats independently in this election, fielding candidates from his own party without allying with any other party.
His election campaign primarily targeted the youth and first-time voters, and through his manifesto, he presented numerous promises to the people, such as monthly financial assistance of Rs. 2500 for homemaker women, 6 free gas cylinders per year, 8 grams of gold for brides from low-income families, and the creation of drug-free school zones.
With the release of preliminary results, TVK party supporters are already on the streets celebrating their victory, while it is reported that even the temporary tents erected at Anna Arivalayam in Chennai, the DMK party headquarters, have been removed, sensing defeat.
