Only four parties will be sending their elected representatives to the newly constituted state assembly on Wednesday, contrary to all the forecasts of a colourful kaleidoscope of party flags made prior to the elections.

Except the AIADMK (134 seats), DMK (89), Congress (eight), and IUML (one), all the other parties that contested the May 16 elections, and their very high-profile leaders, failed to win a seat. Among the notable absentees are both the Communist parties, the CPI and the CPI-M, who had been regulars in the state assembly since 1952.

With MK Stalin being elected as the leader of the opposition in the assembly, it is not clear as yet if the party president Mu. Karunanidhi’s role will be confined to only being the leader of the largest opposition party.

The number of women legislators has increased from 17 in 2011, to 21.

The speaker and deputy speaker of the assembly will be elected on June 3. Until then, senior AIADMK MLA Semmalai will be the acting speaker.