BJP was today set to create history in Assam by ousting Congress which also lost Kerala to the Left front while incumbents AIADMK and Trinamool Congress retained power in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal for a second consecutive term.
The tiny Union Territory of Puducherry appears headed for a hung house with the ruling AINRC and Congress-DMK alliance locked in a close fight.
Assam voted for change with Congress, which had been in power for the last 15 years, being routed by the BJP-led alliance which is ahead in 80 out of 126 seats.
Marking a new surge, BJP, which had five seats in the last elections, was on its own leading in 56 seats now. Its allies AGP and Bodo People's Front were ahead in 15 and 12 constituencies. The Congress, which had bagged 78 seats in the last elections, was struggling by leading only in 27 seats.
AIUDF, led by Badruddin Ajmal, was leading in 09 seats while Independents were ahead in 6 constituencies.
The major surprise in the Assembly elections in four states and Puducherry was a strong show by AIADMK, which several exit polls had projected to lose.
Bucking tradition, the Jayalalithaa-led party was well on way to retaining power for a second term in a state which had not returned a ruling party to power since 1989. But it was also not a washout for the opposition DMK, which put up a reasonably good show by leading in 87 seats as against AIADMK's 130 in a house of 234. AIADMK has won one seat.
The Congress was ahead in 10 seats and IUML, a DMK ally, PMK and PT were leading in one seat each. The third front of parties headed by Vijaykant's DMDK has failed with even the actor himself trailing in his seat.
