Chennai, July 13 (Reporter) The Ruling DMK is all set to retain the Vikravandi Assembly seat in Tamil Nadu after its candidate Anniyur Siva has established an unassailable lead of more than 63,000 votes over his PMK rival C.Anbumani, as counting of votes polled in the July 10 bye-election continued on Saturday, amid tight security. As of 3.00 pm and at the end of 18th round of counting, Siva was leading by a margin of 63,217 votes against his PMK rival. Siva has polled 1,13,671 votes as against 50,454 by Anbumani. NTK's Dr Abhinaya is a distant third having polled 9,740 votes, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI). Right from the first round, it turned out to be a one-horse race as the DMK candidate has been leading. The gap kept widened with every round of counting as the ruling party is all set to retain the seat, with just two rounds of countuing left. With Mr Siva establishing sizeable leads and is poised to retain the seat, DMK cadres across the State, including at the DMK headquarters Anna Arivalayam, celebrated by bursting crackers and distributing sweets. When DMK President and Chief Minister M K Stalin came to the party office around noon, he was given a rousing reception by the DMK cadres. He also personally distributed sweets to party leaders, including Ministers, MLAs, functionaries and partymen. Later, in a statement, Mr Stalin said this win will be etched in golden words in DMK's history. The victory march of the INDIA alliance in Tamil Nadu that started in 2019, is continuing, he said. This record breaking victory was a crowning glory for the various achievements of the DMK regime and it has given a huge encouragement and additional responsibility to do more, he said, in a statement, issued after the victory of Anniyur Siva was confirmed. Meanwhile, PMK too celebrated by bursting crackers for securing good number of votes without bribing the voters in this bypoll. Reacting to the PMK's defeat, Party Founder Dr.S.Ramadoss said th DMK had secured the victory using money power and it was a temporary victory. "It was a real victory only for the PMK and the party will secure a massive in the 2026 Assembly polls", he said, adding, the PMK accepts the people's verdict. Thanking the voters of Vikravandi, Dr Ramadoss in a statement here said the PMK had secured 75 per cent more votes in this bypoll, than what it got in the Lok Sabha polls in this Assembly segment, which comes under Villupuram Parliamentary Constituency. The bypoll is seen as a high stakes battle between the DMK and the PMK, which contested as an ally of the BJP, after the main Opposition AIADMK and its ally, the DMDK chose to boycott the elections. The bypoll witnessed a huge voter turnout with 82.48 per cent of the total 2.37 lakh electorate casting their ballots when compared to 82.04 per cent in 2021. The bypoll to the Vikravandi seat in Villuppuram district, a DMK stronghold, was necessitated following the death of sitting DMK MLA N.Pughazhendi, who is also a senior party functionary in the district...////...