Chennai, May 4: In a major setback for the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the party has slipped to third place in the latest counting trends of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, with several of its senior leaders and ministers trailing in their respective constituencies.
Early trends show actor-turned-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) taking a strong lead across multiple seats, while the AIADMK-led alliance has also moved ahead of the DMK, pushing the ruling party into third position as counting continues.
Adding to the party’s troubles, key DMK ministers are currently trailing, indicating potential cracks in what was expected to be a strong re-election bid. Among those facing a tough fight are Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development Udhayanidhi Stalin, who is trailing in Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni, and senior leader K. N. Nehru, who is facing a close contest in Tiruchirappalli West.
Other ministers, including P. K. Sekarbabu and Ma. Subramanian, are also reported to be trailing in early rounds, though margins remain narrow as counting progresses.
The DMK had initially shown strength in the early rounds, even opening leads in several constituencies. However, as more votes were counted, the momentum shifted significantly in favour of TVK and the opposition alliance.
Chief Minister M. K. Stalin, who is contesting from Kolathur, is currently leading, providing some relief to the party amid otherwise disappointing trends.
Political analysts suggest that the rise of TVK has disrupted traditional vote banks, cutting into the DMK’s support and reshaping the electoral contest. If these trends hold, Tamil Nadu could be headed towards a major political realignment.
Counting is still underway across all 234 constituencies, and the final outcome will depend on subsequent rounds. However, the DMK’s slide to third place, combined with several ministers trailing, has already become one of the defining narratives of the 2026 election results.