Thaindian News

Chennai, May 13 (IANS) The moods differed drastically here Friday at the residence of AIADMK general secretary J. Jayalalithaa and the official residence of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president M. Karunanidhi, only a couple of kilometres away from each other.

The Poes Garden, where Jayalalithaa’s residence is located, was deserted in the morning. But soon crowds began swelling once the AIADMK cadre got the wind of the trend.

The state police, which did not bother much about the security at Poes Garden area and had focussed their attention at the chief minister’s residence in Gopalapuram initially, soon changed track.

The security was beefed up outside Veda Nilayam, Jayalalithaa’s residence.

Party cadres celebrated AIADMK’s victory by sharing sweets and bursting crackers outside Veda Nilayam. Shouts of “Amma, Amma” rent the air.

Jayalalithaa made a brief appearance on the balcony and waved to the crowds below.

Meanwhile, at the DMK headquarters in Arivalayam, a few kilometres away, it was a gloomy scene. None of the party leaders was willing to speak to the media.

The Kalaignar TV - majorly owned by Karunanidhi’s wife and daughter - which started airing election coverage like other channels, stopped their panel discussions once the election trends were known and toned down its election coverage.

However, Sun TV, which is mainly owned by Kalanithi Maran, grand nephew of Karunanidhi, continued to broadcast the election results.