DMK dislodges AIADMK; Left wins Bengal, Kerala; hung House in Asom

New Delhi, May 11 (UNI) The DMK-led alliance today appeared set to dislodge the AIADMK from power to give Tamil Nadu its first coalition government and the Left parties headed for resounding victories in West Bengal and Kerala while Asom threw up a fractured mandate with the Congress likely to emerge as the largest group in the assembly election.

Another consolation for the Congress was that it was likely to retain power in the Union territory of Pondicherry along with its allies.

In the Lok Sabha byelection to the Rae Bareli seat, Congress President Sonia Gandhi was way ahead of her rivals and looked set to win by an unprecedented margin.

Though there may not be an immediate fallout of the assembly election results outcome on the UPA-led coalition government, political pundits say the Left parties may become more aggressive on foreign policy and economic issues.

Riding on an anti-incumbency wave against Chief Minister J Jayalalitha, the M Karunanidhi-led Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA) had won 52 of the 234 seats filled in the state assembly. DPA candidates were leading in several constituencies but the DMK alone did not appear to be in a position to form a government on its own.

Thus, Tamil Nadu may see the installation of its first-ever coalition government.

In West Bengal, the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee 'mantra' did magic for the ruling Left Front as it headed for an unprecedented seventh term in office.

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