Jayalalithaa defeats exit polls and opposition

The PMK, which for the first time fought in all the constituencies, could not win a single seat. The Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies which too contested all the seats suffered a similar fate. Polling was postponed in two constituencies by the Election Commission. The DMK did make major gains but this proved to be mainly at the cost of other opposition parties - indicating that Jayalalithaa's victory was made possible by a splintered opposition.