BJP storms Assam; TMC, AIADMK set to retain power; LDF in Kerala

The BJP appears to have stormed Assam, unseating Congress, which also looks like it is losing in Kerala. Incumbent TMC and AIADMK are cruising comfortably to retain power in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.

In the Union Territory of Puducherry, Congress-DMK alliance was ahead in the 30-member assembly, closely followed by AINRC headed by Chief Minister and former Congressman N Rangaswamy.

Assam is on the road to making history with BJP set to get its first government in the North East by dislodging Congress which has been in power for three consecutive terms. The saffron party was leading in 73 of the 126 seats while the ruling Congress was trailing far behind at 33. The ADUF led by Badaruddin Ajmal was ahead in 13 seats. 'Others' were leading in eight seats.

In West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee's TMC maintained its hold against an unlikely alliance of CPI(M) and Congress and it looked like she is bettering her last election performance. The TMC was ahead in 216 seats out of total 294. The Left parties are leading in 30 and Congress in 37, while BJP was ahead in 9 seats.

As per trends, J Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK appears to be winning Tamil Nadu for a straight second term, bucking the tradition since 1989 when a ruling party has not returned to power. AIADMK's performance has also disproved several exit poll predictions which had tipped the DMK-Congress alliance to come to power.

The AIADMK was leading in 126 seats while DMK-Congress alliance was ahead in 91 seats.

While the third front of parties headed by DMDK's Vijaykant failed to make any impact, the PMK which contested all the 234 seats could lead only in seven seats.

In Kerala, the Left Front was well on the road to dislodge Congress from power keeping up the tradition of voting out the incumbent government.

The Left Democratic Front was ahead in 88 of the 140 seats while the ruling UDF was behind at 50.

According to trends, BJP may make a maiden entry in the state with the party said to be leading in one seat.

In Puducherry, the Congress-DMK alliance was leading in 13 of the 30 seats. The ruling AINRC was leading in 12 seats while AIADMK was ahead in two seats.