Chennai: The ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and its ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), seems headed for a severe drubbing with their candidates trailing DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance candidates by substantial margins in the 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu and the lone Pondicherry Parliamentary seat.

Riding high on the anti-incumbency factor, most of the DPA candidates had already established winning margins.

Elections 2004-Where is India heading...
Political Parties in India

In Sivaganga, former Union Minister P Chidambaram led his nearest rival Subba Karpiah (AIADMK) by about one lakh votes, while satellite TV tycoon Dayanidhi Maran was leading by a massive 72,000 votes. Former K V Thankabalu (INC) had established a lead of 45,000 votes.

At Nilgiris, former Union Minister R Prabhu led over his nearest BJP rival by 56,000 votes. Another former Union Minister T R Baalu was leading by 15,000 votes at Chennai South.

Former Union Minister A K Moorthy (PMK) was leading by over 40,000 votes in Chengalpattu and E Ponnuswamy (PMK) was ahead by 10,000 votes at Chidamabram. At Vandavasi, former Union Minister, Senjee Ramachandran (MDMK) was ahead by 20,000 votes. Dr Subramanian Swamy, Janata party president, was pushed to third place at Madurai, where P Mohan (CPM) was ahead by over 40,000 votes. At Gopichettipalayam, former TNCC president, E V K S Elangovan led over his AIADMK rival N R Govindarajar by 65,000 votes.

Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan was trailing by over 45,000 votes at Nagercoil and AIADMK strongman T T V Dinakaran was also behind by 4000 votes.