First timers set to make their maiden foray in Lok Sabha

Among the first timers are Congress candidate S Jothimani (Karur), Raveendranath Kumar (Theni), DMK's Kalanidhi Veerasamy (North Chennai), DMK's T Sumathy (alias) Thamizhachi Thangapandian (South Chennai) and India Jananayaka Katchi's (IJK) Dr Paarivendhar, who contested from Perambalur.

Some of them, including AIADMK's P Raveendranath Kumar, son of Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, hail from a political background.

According to the EC data, Jothimani is way ahead of her rival, AIADMK veteran and Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai, by a margin of nearly four lakh votes.

AIADMK's Raveendranath is contesting against Congress leader and former Minister EVKS Elangovan and is leading the race by securing a lead of 49,836 votes.

Kalanidhi Veerasamy, son of DMK leader and former Minister 'Arcot' N Veerasamy who is testing his poll prospects in this election took an unassailable lead with 4.41 lakh votes against DMDK candidate Alagaapuram R Mohanraj in North Chennai Lok Sabha segment.

Sumathy is leading by 2.28 lakh votes over AIADMK's J Jayavardhan who is contesting for the second time. She hails from a traditional DMK family.

Paarivendhar, who runs a group of educational institutions, is contesting on DMK's Rising Sun symbol.

At Perambalur, he polled a whopping 3.91 lakh votes against AIADMK candidate, former Minister N R Sivapathy.

All the data on leads were based on the latest EC data.