After five years in the wilderness, AIADMK's star and former chief minister Jayaram Jayalalithaa stormed to power Friday for a third time in Tamil Nadu, crushing a corruption-hit DMK.

In a sweep that few pundits had anticipated, the AIADMK-led alliance was on the victory lap in 196 of the state's 234 constituencies. A stunned DMK and its allies were set to get only 36 seats.