Chennai (Tamil Nadu)

Tamila Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay has emerged as a decisive force in Tamil Nadu on Monday. TVK workers celebrated their lead in 103 seats across the state with Vijay's 'whistle podu song', ringing the party's symbol between their lips in big celebrations.

Vijay himself is leading Tiruchirappalli (East) constituency by a margin of more than 3,000 votes.

Party leader V S Babu is also looking to be a 'giant killer', leading in Kolathur with more than 2,551 votes against Chief Minister MK Stalin, at the time of writing the report.

Meanwhile the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) led by the incumbent DMK is having a poor performance as they lead is only 45 seats. DMK is the largest party in the alliance till now leading in just 37 seats, a far cry from winning more than 100 seats.

The AIADMK led NDA alliance is in second place, leading in only 74 seats. According to election commission, third round of vote counting has started, with multiple constituencies having more than 20 rounds of counting.

In the third round of counting in the Tiruchirappalli East Assembly constituency, Vijay of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) is leading with 12,523 votes.

His opponent, Inigo Irudayaraj, has secured 7,237 votes and is trailing behind.

TVK leader KA Sengottaiyan, who had left the AIADMK, is also leading in Gobichettipalayam with a margin of more than 3,000 votes, having secured more than 15,000 votes. DMK's leader Nallasivam is trailing in the constituency, securing around 11,000 votes till now.

In Villivakkam, TVK's senior leader Aadhav Arjuna has secured 8,436 votes, leading by 2,038 votes.

BJP leader Geeta Priya on Monday said the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is "in a strong position" as early trends showed AIADMK becoming the second largest party in the state as counting progresses.

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Speaking to ANI, Priya said the voter enthusiasm in the ongoing polls was notably high, especially among young voters.

However, television network projections showed a different picture, indicating TVK ahead with 84 seats, the AIADMK-led alliance at 73, and the DMK-led alliance at 56 seats.