Ruling party candidates in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry shot into initial lead as counting of votes in the four assembly constituencies began on Tuesday.

Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanaswamy emerged victorious after beating Om Sakthi Sekhar of AIADMK by a margin of over 11,000 votes in Nellithope, Puducherry.

Polls were held in three assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu - Thirupparankundram, Aravakkurichi and Thanjavur- and Nellithope constituency in Puducherry on November 19.

According to Election Commission in Thanjavur constituency AIADMK has shot into lead after two rounds of counting.

Elections in Aravakkurichi and Thanjavur are being held after the Election Commission suspended pollings owing to large seizures of cash, silver and other goods.

In Aravakkurichi, ruling AIADMK's V. Senthil Balaji is fighting against the DMK's K. C. Palanisamy while at Thirupparankundram the AIADMK's A. K. Bose is facing DMK's P. Saravanan.

In Thanjavur, the AIADMK's M. Rengasamy is pitted against the DMK's Anjugam Bhoopathy.

In Thirupparankundram, the by-election has been necessitated by the death of AIADMK's legislator S. S. Seenivel.

While there are other parties in the fray, the contest is mainly between the AIADMK and the DMK in Tamil Nadu.

In Puducherry's Nellithope, Congress leader Narayanasamy is contesting against AIADMK nominee Om Shakthi Segar.

(IANS)