MK Stalin, whose DMK is set to return to Tamil Nadu after a decade, was congratulated by political leaders from across parties as counting of voting was in progress in the southern state where state elections were held in a single phase on April 6.
The National Conference's Omar Abdullah, Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, former union minister and NCP chief Sharad Pawar, the RJD's Tejashwi Yadav, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal congratulated Mr Stalin, 68, as trends showed the DMK comfortably crossing the halfway mark of 118 in 234-member assembly.
This is the first state election for the DMK after the death of iconic leader M Karunanidhi, MK Stalin's father.
Ex-Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, who also visited Tamil Nadu to campaign for the DMK-Congress combine, also tweeted a message for his ally: "Congratulations to Shri MK Stalin for the victory. People of Tamil Nadu have voted for change and we will, under your leadership, prove to be a confident step in that direction. Best wishes."
MK Stalin replied to the messages and also congratulated Trinamool Congress's Mamata Banerjee and Pinarayi Vijayan. After a high-octane campaign that saw the BJP and Trinamool aiming at each other, Ms Banerjee's party is set to cross the 200-mark in the 294-member assembly.
Set to win Kerala for a second term, the Left Democratic Front is close to creating history in a state that has alternated between the Left and United Democratic Front for the last four decades.
In another tweet, he congratulated Pinarayi Vijayan and said: "On behalf of DMK, I congratulate Comrade @vijayanpinarayi for leading his party to victory in the Kerala State Elections. His measured and decisive leadership has been instrumental in helping Kerala achieve great heights and I wish him another very successful tenure."
Mr Stalin also expressed his ''heartfelt thanks'' to all the people of the state for mandating his party to govern Tamil Nadu for the sixth time. His son actor-turned-politician Udaynidhi has also won his debut election from Chennai's Chepauk.
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