Chennai | Early trends emerging from counting of votes on Friday for the October 6 bypolls held in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry indicated an advantage for the ruling regimes led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and N Rangasamy.

In Tamil Nadu, as the counting of votes, which commenced at 8 am progressed, it showed an advantage for the ruling TVK which garnered the maximum votes and retained the top spot. It was followed by the DMK and the AIADMK.

Similarly, early trends in the Union Territory of Puducherry appeared to be advantageous for the Chief Minister N Rangasamy-led AINRC. The party leads the NDA coalition ministry.

It remains to be seen if the trends continue to be the same.

The bypolls in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry are crucial not only for the incumbent TVK and AINRC regimes, but for the Opposition parties as well.

Byelections were held in Tamil Nadu's Madurantakam and Dharapuram, both SC reserved seats, besides Thattanchavady in Puducherry.

The elections were necessitated due to the resignation of incumbent MLAs, including Puducherry Rangasamy in the respective segments