Kanyakumari: Counting has begun in the Tamil Nadu constituency where the DMK is leading in the state.One of the key constituencies in Tamil Nadu is the Kanyakumari constituency which sees Congressman-business tycoon H Vasanthakumar leading. 

Vasanthakumar has garnered 1,04,206 votes while Ponnar, as he is fondly called in the region, has garnered 45469 votes. 

The BJP sitting MP is contesting to be re-elected for a second term in the Lok Sabha.

Congress has fielded H Vasanthakumar as its candidate. Vasanthakumar is also a business tycoon and also owns a TV channel. 

The constituency also has Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) candidate Laxman while the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) has been represented by J Ebinesar.

Although the exit polls predicted that Radhakrishnan would be defeated by Vasanthakumar, it must be noted that Ponnar lead for quite some time. 

In the 2014 general elections, P Radhakrishnan of the BJP defeated H Vasanthakumar of the Congress with a vote margin of 12.99% (1,28,622 votes).

The DMK is currently leading in 36 of 38 seats in the state. Vellore constituency, a crucial one, didn’t go to polls this time. 

The AIADMK had won 37 of 39 seats in the 2014 general election. This is the first time that the state has gone to polls without their stalwarts, J Jayalalithaa and DMK supremo M Karunanidhi.